Beautiful Disaster
by momentary-ecstasy
Summary: She has a new life in a new state far away from The O.C. and even a new name. Everything is going well until she is confronted with her past that she tried to leave behind. X-Over with House M.D. Malex, Thirteen/Cameron
1. Chapter 1

I don't own House or The O.C.

This takes place after the House episode with the mirror guy and after House fired Cutthroat Bitch. Marissa didn't die during the OC. Takes place five or six years after season 2 of the O.C. and during the current season of House.

* * *

"Hello Kiddies," House walked into the conference room, "Last night a cab driver dropped off a young woman who passed out in the back of his car." He walked over to the white board, "High fever, seizures, intense sweating, muscle pain, hallucinations, trouble breathing, and abdominal pain."

"We don't know who she is?" Taub asked, "Where she's from?"

Foreman shook his head, "The cab driver dumped her here. She didn't have any identification. No cell phone. Just a purse left that had a hotel key in it and some cash."

"Brucellosis," Taub suggested.

"She's had a constant fever and no lymph node inflammation," Kutner said looking at the chart, "Could be a drug overdose or withdrawal."

Thirteen shook her head, "Tox screen was clean."

"Thirteen," he said, "Take Kutner and get her purse from the nurse's station. Search her hotel room. The other two of you come with me. I hear the patient's hot and they weren't talking about her temperature."

Thirteen grabbed the purse and looked through it. There was hotel key, some makeup, and some cash.

When they got to the hotel, Thirteen walked past the front desk with Kutner on her tail and took the elevator up to the room. When they got there, she knocked on the door, "Housekeeping!"

Kutner raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to walk in on some half naked guy she left here," Thirteen replied.

When there was no answer, Thirteen opened the door with the key and looked around.

It was pretty tidy inside. There were a few articles of clothing laying around and an open suitcase. "I'll go check the bathroom." Kutner offered.

Thirteen nodded and started to look through the suitcase. It was all very expensive high end clothes.

"I found a wallet," Kutner called, "Her name is Marissa Cooper. House was right. She's hot."

Thirteen's breath caught in her throat. She took a deep breath and picked up a familiar looking black shirt that said "CBGB"

Kutner walked out and saw Thirteen staring at the shirt. "We can get her medical records now. You can stop going through her clothes."

Thirteen dropped the shirt and grabbed the cell phone off of the bed. "Let's go."

All the way back to the hospital Thirteen's heart was racing. Why was Marissa here? Did Marissa know she lived here? Thirteen settled down her thoughts and her mind raced through all her years of Med school trying desperately to figure out what was wrong with Marissa, the was the only person she was sure she'd ever been in love with. Marissa was one of the few people that didn't see Alex Kelly as a delinquent drop-out, but as the smart, sweet, beautiful person she really was.

Thirteen had tried to wipe away her past. Alex Kelly was gone, but now her past was back. Alex Kelly was back. The girl with a bravado had hid her anger and fear. According to the mirror guy they'd treated a few days ago she was still scared, but of completely different things. And now she was scared for Marissa's life.

When they got back to the hospital, Thirteen went to the office and sat at the empty table. She picked up the phone and dialed the number for the Newport Beach Hospital.

"Yes this is Dr. Kelly from the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. I need the medical records of Marissa Cooper," Thirteen sat back in her chair.

After the medical records were coming out of the fax machine, Thirteen picked up Marissa's cell phone. She scrolled down the to the familiar names. She took a deep breath and pressed send.

"Where have you been?" Julie Cooper's voice came over the line, "We waited for you all night."

"Ms. Cooper," Thirteen took a deep breath then went on, "I'm Dr. Thirteen from the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Marissa Cooper is here with an unusual illness."

"Oh my god," Julie breathed, "Is she okay?"

"We're not sure," Thirteen said, "We're doing everything we can."

"I'll be there in a few hours," Julie stated and hung up.

Thirteen called someone else in the phonebook.

"Atwood," Ryan answered.

"Marissa's at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey," Thirteen told him, "She's really sick. Call Summer or whoever she's friends with and get down there." Thirteen hung up.

Thirteen put her head in her hands and sighed. Soon people from her past will be there and will be easy pickings for House to find out every detail they knew about her. It wasn't going to be traumatic or detrimental to her career, but sometimes it's nice to have no one know who you are, where you came from. Just to be the you that's right there in the present and nothing else.

But the bigger thing weighting on her mind was Marissa. They still had no idea what was slowly, but surely killing her.

Her pager went off. She grabbed the medical records off of the fax machine and she ran to Marissa's room, where Kutner, Taub, and House were already watching her. "What happened?"

"Her fever went up," Kutner told her, "Again."

Thirteen checked the monitors.

"Medical records?" House asked.

Thirteen handed them to House, "Apart from the sporadic cold, flu, or soar throat, she's pretty healthy."

"Not anymore," House stated and flipped through the chart. He snapped it shut and tossed it to Kutner. "Diagnosis?"

"Tularemia?" Kutner asked.

"That doesn't explain her shredded liver," Taub told him.

"Excessive drinking does," Thirteen stated.

"Good one," House told her, "Run the tests for Tularemia."

A few hours had gone by and they all anxiously waited for the test results. Thirteen's pager went off. She furrowed her eyebrows. She picked up the phone and dialed. "This is Thirteen. You paged me? Oh…okay, I'll be right there."

She hung up. "I'll be back. Page me when you get the lab results." She walked out of the room.

When Thirteen got to the nurse's desk that paged her, a nurse walked up to her, "There's a group of people demanding to know what's going on with Marissa Cooper. One of them asked for you."

Thirteen put her hands in her pockets, "Okay. They're in her room?"

The nurse nodded.

"Okay. I'll take care of it," Thirteen told her and walked to Marissa's room quickly. She thought maybe if she got there fast enough that she wouldn't have time to think of the consequences. She rounded the corner and opened the door.

Julie was the first one up and looking at her, "What's wrong with her?"

"We're not sure yet," Thirteen told them, "We're waiting for test results."

Summer slowly stood from a seat by the window, "What are you doing here?"

"I work here," Thirteen stated.

"A doctor?" Seth asked from his seat at the window.

Thirteen nodded.

"Is she going to be alright?" Ryan asked standing next to a pregnant woman Thirteen didn't recognize.

"We're doing everything we can," Thirteen assured them.

"How did you get into medical school?" Julie asked.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow, "You care more about how I got into Med school than how your daughter is doing?"

"I just want to make sure the doctor treating her is qualified," Julie narrowed her eyes.

"I'm perfectly qualified. I graduated second in my class at Harvard and beat out thirty six other applicants for this position," Thirteen stated.

Julie was dumbfounded and more importantly, speechless.

Thirteen picked up Marissa's chart and started comparing it to the monitors.

"So you don't know what's wrong?" Summer asked timidly.

Thirteen sighed, "We're just waiting for lab results. This is the best diagnostic hospital in the country. We'll figure it out." Thirteen looked puzzled. Then she put the chart down and put her stethoscope in her ears. She checked Marissa's heartbeat and then picked up her hand and looked it over.

"What's wrong?" Julie looked at her.

"Has she been unusually confused lately?" Thirteen asked.

"Now that you mention it," Summer spoke up, "She has been kinda spacey. You know, more than usual."

"I'll be right back," Thirteen looked at them and walked out.

She skidded to a halt in the office.

"Hey you're just in time," Kutner said, "It's not Tularemia."

"I know," Thirteen stated, "It's TTP. She has an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, irregular confusion and I found a clot in her finger."

"Find out her platelet count," House told her, "We don't want to give her someone else's plasma unless we're sure it's TTP."

Thirteen took off out the door with Kutner on her heals.


	2. Chapter 2

"Don't tell them anything," Thirteen warned him, "Let me do all the talking."

As they got close to Marissa's room, they saw a bunch of nurses rushing in. They both took off running, but Thirteen was the first one there.

"What happened?" she asked a nurse.

"She was having trouble breathing," the nurse said, "Then she had a seizure."

"We need to intabate," Thirteen called, "Now!"

As soon as she got the tube down Marissa's throat, she said. "C'mon Riss take a deep breath." Marissa took a deep breath and calmed down.

Thirteen turned to the group that was pushed outside, but was looking in the window. She motioned for them to come in.

"It's not Tularemia," she stated, "It's TTP. It's a rare blood disorder. It causes seizures, trouble breathing, the blood clot, her change in behavior and everything else that's been going on."

"You're sure?" Ryan asked.

"_I_ am, but they won't let me treat it until _they _know it," Thirteen told them.

"How much longer?" Julie asked, genuinely concerned.

Thirteen looked at the door that was opening. Taub and Kutner walked in with a nurse, "We're taking her for the tests now. Why don't you all go get something to eat? This will take a while."

Ryan conferred with the pregnant woman next to him and they walked out hand in hand. Julie just took a seat in a vacant chair and Seth and Summer didn't move.

Thirteen nodded at them and followed the two doctors and the nurse out the door.

"Where am I?" Marissa groaned.

"A hospital," Thirteen answered gently as Taub and Kutner went to get some supplies.

"Alex?" Marissa asked.

"Yeah," Thirteen nodded.

"I have…your…shirt," Marissa said weakly.

Thirteen smiled slowly, "Yeah. I know. Don't worry about that right now. Just go to sleep."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" Marissa asked.

"Of course," Thirteen smoothed out Marissa's hair.

Marissa closed her eyes and let herself fall asleep.

Taub and Kutner came back in and Thirteen straightened up. "Let's get this over with."

After they drew the blood and got the samples they needed, Taub looked at his watch, "It's quitting time. I'm gonna go home."

"Me too," Kutner nodded.

"I'll take her back to her room," Thirteen stated.

Taub and Kutner shrugged and walked away.

Thirteen wheeled Marissa back to her room by herself. When she got there, Julie, Seth, Summer, Ryan and the pregnant girl were back.

"I'm gonna take the tests back to the lab and do them myself," Thirteen told them and walked out after Marissa's was back in her bed.

When she was halfway down the hall she heard Seth call, "Alex!"

She turned around and Seth caught up with her.

"Seriously, is she going to be okay?" Seth asked, "Summer's really scared."

"If this is TTP," Thirteen told him, "We can start Plasmapheresis immediately. It usually worked between one to eight weeks."

"Usually?" Seth asked.

Thirteen stopped at a coffee machine and pulled some money out of her pocket. Seth put his hand up, "I got it." He fed the machine some cash and Thirteen picked out her coffee.

"There's an eighty-five percent success rate," Thirteen told him.

"Meaning there's a fifteen percent failure rate," Seth stated.

Thirteen reluctantly nodded, "I'm doing all I can."

"We trust that you are," Seth put his hand on her shoulder, then pulled her into a hug, "Thank you."

Thirteen sighed, "I just wish there was something more I could do."

Seth smiled reassuringly, "Go play in you lab or whatever so you can start the plasmathingy."

Thirteen chuckled, "Thanks for the coffee."

Seth nodded, "It's fun having a job. You can buy your own stuff."

"You have a job?" Thirteen asked.

"I got a job with Marvel," he smiled.

"Congratulations," Thirteen ran a hand through her hair, "I'll be right back with the results. It shouldn't take, but thirty minutes."


	3. Chapter 3

Thirteen worked alone for about ten minutes when the doors opened. She looked up to find House standing just within the doors. She went back to her work.

"No hello?" House asked, "You hurt my feelings."

Thirteen smiled as she looked into the microscope, "I couldn't do that even if I wanted to."

"Why are you here so late?" House asked, "Kutner and Taub already left."

"I'm working on the TTP diagnosis," Thirteen answered scribbling something down.

House walked over and looked at the scan of Marissa's kidney. "Not because you have a crush on the patient?"

Thirteen chuckled, "It's definitely not a crush."

House looked her over, "Just make sure you get some sleep. You're no good to me dead on your feet."

Thirteen nodded, "Okay."

House hobbled out with Thirteen looking after him, wondering if he was just being nice in his own special way.

Twenty minutes later, Thirteen picked up the results and walked quickly to the room where the occupants were all asleep except for the pregnant woman.

"Dr. Thirteen is it?" the woman asked.

Thirteen nodded.

"I'm Sadie Atwood," the woman introduced herself.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow, "Ryan's wife?"

She nodded.

The noise woke up Julie, Summer, and Ryan, then Summer woke up Seth.

Thirteen tapped the file to her palm, "I did the tests and did the blood work. It's definitely TTP. We'll start treatment first thing in the morning."

"So she'll be okay?" Julie asked.

Thirteen opened her mouth to speak, but Seth interrupted, "It's the one I told you about."

Julie nodded solemnly.

"She's otherwise healthy," Thirteen added trying to cheer her up, "So there shouldn't be any problems or complications with the Plasmapheresis."

"Alex?" Marissa weakly asked.

Thirteen moved to her side, "Yeah?"

"What is it?" Marissa asked.

"It's TTP. A blood disease. We're going to start treatment in the morning," Thirteen reassured her.

Marissa reached up and took Thirteen's hand, "You're the one that's going to do it right?"

Thirteen nodded, "If you want me to."

"Thank you," Marissa choked out before falling asleep again.

"Do any of you need anything?" Thirteen asked, "I'm going to get more coffee."

"I'll help you," Ryan walked out with her.

After a little silence Ryan asked, "So how'd you get from bar manager to doctor?"

Thirteen chuckled, "I knew that was coming." She led the way to the team's office and walked in. Ryan followed and she started a pot of coffee to brewing. "Well, my mom got sick a few months after I went home and at the time I was studying at a small local college. I spent the better part of two years at the hospital so I loaded up on classes and studied in my mom's quiet hospital room. Her doctor noticed me studying all the time and we talked a few times. She asked if I'd ever thought out becoming a doctor. I told her I had, it was just an issue of getting into med school and paying for it." Thirteen took a deep breath and shrugged off her lab coat, hanging it on the back of a chair, "So she offered to pay for my MCAT and then got me into Harvard Medical School through some connections with the Dean of Admissions. I got scholarships and grants until everything was paid for except my apartment and food which I paid for managing a bar."

"Wow," Ryan smiled, "You've done good for yourself."

"As far as I can see you have too," Thirteen gestured with her hand, "Pregnant wife. What are you? A professional boxer?"

Ryan laughed, "No. I'm actually an architect."

Thirteen poured the coffee into Styrofoam cups and put the pot back. "How's Marissa been? I mean apart from the TTP?"

They started to walk back together, "She has a job with a fashion design company and she checked herself into rehab last year. I think she's on the making amends step." He took a sip of her coffee, "She was actually going to try to see you while she was here. I don't think she meant to like this though."

"Really?" Thirteen raised an eyebrow.

Ryan nodded, "Something about a shirt and the tide…I dunno."

Thirteen opened the door and handed Julie a cup of coffee. "Thank you," She said.

Thirteen nodded, "No problem." She looked over the room and saw Sadie sitting uncomfortably in a chair, "Maybe you should go home and get some rest."

Ryan nodded, "C'mon I'll take you back to the hotel."

Summer looked at her best friend who was pale and sweating. Thirteen followed Summer's eyes and look at the woman laying in the hospital bed. Thirteen picked up a corner of the sheet and wiped Marissa's forehead.

"How'd you all get here so fast?" Thirteen asked without looking away from the sleeping Marissa.

"Our engagement party was last night," Sumer explained, taking Seth's hand, "We live in New York City."

Thirteen smiled softly, "Congratulations."

"What about you?" Seth asked, "Any boyfriends? Girlfriends? Significant others?"

Thirteen shook her head, "I haven't dated since before my first year of Med school. I haven't had time." She glanced over at Julie who had her arms crossed and her head leaned back on the wall trying not to fall asleep. "You can show you where the doctor's crash room is. The beds aren't really comfortable, but it's better than that chair."

Julie shook her head, "I want to stay with her. I'm just going to get some coffee."

Thirteen nodded, "Okay." She watched Julie walk out.

"Do you always stay with your patients all night? "Seth asked.

Thirteen shook her head, "No." She looked down at Marissa's face.

"What time are you going to start the treatment in the morning?" Summer asked.

Thirteen looked at her, "Around eight."

"We're going to go shower and change clothes," Summer stood and pulled Seth up with her, "We'll be back before eight."

"Okay," Thirteen told them.

"Bye, Alex," Seth waved and walked out.

Thirteen gazed upon Marissa. She looked really sick. Thirteen knew she was sick, but to see her actually look like it solidified the fact. She sighed and whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't have helped you sooner."

Julie paused at the door before stepping in, "I'm sorry about before. You know, questioning your abilities."

Thirteen's eyes shot to Julie, "It's no problem."

"I just got scared," Julie looked at Marissa with tears in her eyes, "She's my baby."

Thirteen looked back at Marissa and took a deep breath, "I understand."

Julie opened her mouth to speak again, but a frantic looking woman skidded to a stop just outside the door when she saw Thirteen.

Cuddy caught her breath and stuck her head in the door, "There was an apartment fire, major car crash, and a shooting. We need you in the ER."

Thirteen nodded and ran out of the room as Cuddy ran in search of more doctors.

When Thirteen got to the ER there was a sea of people. Some bleeding, some wheezing, some looked like they were on the brink of passing out.

She walked toward the nurse's station, but bumped into a little boy on the way. He was breathing heavily and coughing. She bend down and too the stethoscope from around her neck. She listened while he coughed then picked him up, "Where's your mom?"

He looked around while he coughed, but didn't look like he recognized anyone. "I dunno."

Thirteen grabbed an oxygen mask and placed it over the boy's mouth. She set him on the counter of the nurse's station. "Take deep breaths and stay here. I'll be right back."

She walked through the crowd searching for who needed the most help. Not being able to see anything in the chaos she hopped up on the nurse's station. "Hey!" that got most people's attention, "If you're having problems breathing got over there." She pointed to her right. "If you have burns or you're bleeding go over there." She pointed to her left. "If you're sick have a seat in the waiting room."

Once everyone was filed into where she told them to go, she made her way to the waiting room.

A few hours later, Thirteen walked to the team's office/conference room and sat down. That whole ordeal had been grueling. She yawned and leaned back in her chair. Her eyes briefly closed before she realized if they were closed too long, she'd go to sleep.

Thirteen got up and walked toward Marissa's room.

When she got there, she saw Julie sitting on a chair next to Marissa who was awake and apparently talking. She just stood outside the window and watched until Julie saw her. Marissa followed her mother's eyes and caught Thirteen's eyes. There was a slight smile in them.

Thirteen walked to the door and opened it. She stood in the door way, "How do you feel?"

"Like shit," Marissa replied with a small smile.

Thirteen smiled back, "Something would be really wrong if you didn't. You should be out of here in a few days."

Julie looked at Thirteen, "Are you off the clock now?"

Thirteen shrugged, "I have been since five."

Julie looked at her watch, "Do you normally stay seven hours after your shift is over?"

"No," Thirteen shook her head.

"Would you mind staying with Marissa for another hour while I go change?" Julie asked.

"Of course not," Thirteen sat on a stool and rolled over to the bed next to the monitors. She checked the monitors and compared them to the chart.

Julie left, silently.

"You're incredible," Marissa told Thirteen.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow, "In what context?"

"The one where you made so much out of your life," Marissa adjusted her head, "You save people's lives everyday."

Thirteen smiled, "Well not everyday. I have Mondays off."

Marissa chuckled weakly. Marissa's laugh tapered off and she looked over Thirteen's face. "I like your hair. Very East Coast." She brought her hand up to stroke the soft curls.

"Thanks," Thirteen replied.

"You look tired," Marissa stated, "Why don't you go to sleep?"

"I'm watching you remember?" Thirteen stated.

Marissa smiled, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I think I'll wait for your mom to get back then I'll think about sleeping," Thirteen pushed a stray hair off of Marissa's pale face.

"Okay," Marissa closed her eyes, "Why am I so tired?"

"Your bodies using all of your energy to fight the disease," Thirteen explained, "Plus you have eaten in a few days I'm guessing."

Marissa nodded, "You're right. I've been throwing up for a few days."

Thirteen rested her hands in her lap, "You'll be feeling much better tomorrow, I promise."

Marissa reached down and picked up Thirteen's hand. She held it on the bed next to her. Neither one spoke, they just looked at each other and held hands.

Slowly, Marissa fell back asleep and Thirteen just watched and stroked her knuckles with her thumb.

When Julie came back in, Thirteen gave Julie her pager number and slipped away, down the hall and into the room filled with uncomfortable bunk beds for tired doctors. She laid down on a bottom one and closed her eyes, almost immediately falling asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Thirteen woke up from something poking her arm. She grabbed it before looking to see what it was. When she opened her eyes, she saw the fire stickers on the bottom of a black cane. She silently sat up and checked her pager, "What are you doing here? It's only seven. You never get here before eight thirty."

"I forgot my teddy bear in my office," House stated, "Can't sleep without him."

Thirteen rubbed her eyes.

"The better question is what are _you_ doing here?" House said.

"I _was_ sleeping," Thirteen stood and picked up her lab coat that was laying on the top bunk. She shrugged it on and straightened out her shirt.

"Your apartment doesn't have a bed?" House asked following Thirteen out of the room.

"It does," Thirteen answered stopping at the coffee machine, "But if I would have tried to drive home, I would have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing a crash, and if you haven't heard the ER was full last night. I would have died on the sidewalk and as much fun as that sounds…I decided to stay."

"What does she mean to you?" House asked.

Just as Thirteen lifted the money to the machine, a cup of coffee appeared in front of her. She looked down the arm that was holding the coffee and found Ryan, "I already got you some. It's better than the kind that comes out of there."

Thirteen smiled, "Thanks." She took it.

"Who are you?" House asked Ryan.

"Why does it matter?" Ryan asked back.

House raised an eyebrow and studied Ryan. He added, "Cuddy said you have your room." to Thirteen then hobbled off.

"Can you come take a look at Sadie?" Ryan asked, "I think she's sick."

"Sure," Thirteen nodded and followed Ryan to an examination room.

"The nurse said that we could use this room if we found you soon," Ryan stated opening the door for Thirteen.

Sadie was sitting on the bed looking particularly sickly.

"What's wrong?" Thirteen sat on a stool and pushed herself over to Sadie.

"I've been throwing up and I feel really nauseous," Sadie explained, "I've had a headache for a while and I feel weak."

Thirteen checked Sadie's eyes, ears, and mouth. Then checked her heart beat. Then she smiled and wrote something down on a prescription pad, "Good news. You have emesis gravidarum."

"What's that and why is it good news?" Ryan asked, arms crossed by the door.

"It's morning sickness and it's perfectly normal," Thirteen tore off the prescription, "I have no idea why they call it morning sickness because in some cases it happens all day and all night. The weakness and headache are side effects of the vomiting. Lack of nutrition."

She handed the prescription to Ryan. He read it and smiled, "So this will take care of it?"

Thirteen nodded.

"Okay," Ryan smiled, "Thanks." He helped Sadie up and escorted her out of the room.

Thirteen got up and went to Marissa's room where Seth, Summer, and Julie were already assembled. She looked down at Marissa who was awake.

"How are we feeling today?" Thirteen asked with an upbeat smile.

"Not as good as you," Marissa smiled back.

Thirteen looked at her watch, "I'm going to go get the procedure room ready and be back to get you in a about half an hour."

"You can't do it here?" Julie asked.

Thirteen shook her head, "The room has to be completely sterile or there's a major risk of infection."

"How long with it take?" Marissa asked.

"About an hour," Thirteen answered.

"You'll stay with me?" Marissa looked up at Thirteen.

Thirteen nodded. "Of course."

"Okay," Marissa nodded.

"I'll be right back to get her," Thirteen told the others.

When Thirteen wheeled Marissa to a room with doors on each side. "I'm going to leave you here so I can go change okay?"

Marissa nodded.

Thirteen disappeared behind a wall then returned in scrubs with a face mask around her neck. "Ready?"

Marissa nodded again.

Thirteen pushed her through double doors into a small room with an observation window.

"Okay," Thirteen picked up a bag and hung it on a hook. Then she wheeled over a big machine, "This is going to manage the flow of blood and plasma okay?"

Marissa nodded, looking scared this time.

"I'm going to have to put an IV in each arm," Thirteen explained and took out a needle.

Marissa looked away and gritted her teeth.

"Slight pinch," Thirteen said and put the IV in.

Marissa let out a breath.

"Other arm," Thirteen took out another needle, "Ready?" She didn't wait for an answer but went right in. Marissa squeezed her eyes shut.

After a few minutes, Thirteen hooked up all the tubes and there was plasma draining out of Marissa and blood going back in.

Thirteen added a shot of something to the mix.

"What was that?" Marissa asked.

"It's to stop your blood from clotting," Thirteen explained. When she was done she discarded the shot and sat on a nearby stool.

"I was thinking about moving to New York City," Marissa said out of nowhere.

"Really?" Thirteen asked, "Where do you live now?"

"LA," Marissa answered.

"NYC's fun," Thirteen added, "I think you'll like it there."

"Well Summer's there," Marissa said, laying her head back, "And you're only an house away."

Thirteen looked up from the papers in her hands, "Me?"

"Yeah," Marissa said, "I've been looking for you forever. I even tried Jodi, but she just slammed the door in my face."

"Just to return my shirt?" Thirteen asked.

"No," Marissa said, "To see if we could be friends again. I've missed you."

Thirteen tried to hide her excited curiosity. She paused, "Of course we can be friends."

"Good," Marissa closed her eyes. After a beat she asked, "How many times do I have to do this?"

"Once a day for the next week then we can go from there," Thirteen looked back down at the papers in her hands.

"Can I leave in between?" Marissa asked.

"We'll see how this one works first okay?" Thirteen asked.

Marissa nodded, "Sounds fair."

After a few minutes of silence, Thirteen looked at Marissa from the monitors, "How do you feel?"

"My arms feel weird," Marissa stated.

Thirteen nodded, "That happens sometimes. They'll be sore for a few minutes after we're done."

"What happened to your mom?" Marissa asked, "I mean if you don't mind me asking. Ryan told me she was sick."

"She died," Thirteen added another shot to the mix.

"I'm sorry," Marissa said quietly, "What was it?"

"Huntington's Chorea," Thirteen stated, trying to keep her emotions in check. She sat down on her stool and surveyed Marissa.

"What's that?" Marissa asked again, "And if I'm asking too many questions just let me know. I just don't know hardly anything about medicine."

"It's okay," Thirteen told her and started picking at the sheet next to Marissa's hand, "It's a rare genetic neurological disease. In the end you loose control of your body and mind."

Marissa maneuvered her fingers under Alex's hand and got their palms together. Marissa wrapped her fingers around the doctor's hand as best she could and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Thirteen took a deep breath and tried not to look at Marissa. Marissa decided now was the time to stop asking questions.

"Thirteen," a man's voice came from a speaker by the observation window. She looked over and saw Kutner standing in the window.

Thirteen looked down at Marissa. "I'll be right back." After Marissa nodded, she walked over to the speaker and pressed the talk button on the intercom, "What?"

"Cuddy wants to see you when you're done," Kutner said back.

"Okay," Thirteen said. She started to walk away, but Kutner's voice stopped her, "Are you doing Plasmapheresis?"

Thirteen nodded without using the intercom.

"Can I come watch?" he asked.

Thirteen looked over at Marissa who she was sure was listening. Marissa caught her eyes, "I don't care."

Thirteen nodded to him then pointed to her scrubs.

"I'll be right in," Kutner stated and walked out of view.

A few minutes later, Kutner walked in donning scrubs. "Wow," he looked at all the equipment, then saw Marissa was a raised eyebrow, "No, I didn't mean-I just…I've never seen this done before. In real life."

"Are there any new cases today?" Thirteen asked, moving a few things around.

Kutner shook his head, "He's on the Buddy Ebsen thing again."

"I thought that was just for the game," Thirteen commented.

"Your number was only supposed to be for the game too," Kutner replied.

"Did House send you on some kind of recon mission?" Thirteen asked.

Kutner shook his head. "But you two know each other right?" He wagged his finger between Marissa and Thirteen.

"What would make you think that?" Marissa readjusted her head on the pillow.

"She called you Riss while she was intabating," Kutner stated, "and you spent the night last night."

"I spent the night last night because the ER was overloaded and I spent four hours sorting through patients," Thirteen added, "I didn't see you here."

"I…wasn't," he said, "House just said…"

"So you _are_ spying on me," Thirteen said.

Kutner shrugged, "It was worth a try." He walked out.

Marissa looked over at Thirteen who was now sitting on the stool again. "What was that bout?"

"House wants to know everything about everything and everyone and it drives him crazy that I won't tell him anything about me," Thirteen explained shutting down the machine. "Do you want Spider-Man or My Little Pony?" She held up a handful of band aids.

"One of each," Marissa smiled, "One for Seth and one for Summer."

Thirteen took the IVs out and replaced them with band aids. "I knew they were going to get married."

"It wasn't really a surprise to anyone," Marissa told her.

"Alright," Thirteen said, "How do you feel now?"

"A little better and my arms are sore," Marissa answered as they made their way out of the sterile room.

When they got back to her room, everyone was waiting impatiently for them with the exception of Sadie who was nowhere to be seen.

Julie looked her over, "Your color looks better already."

Thirteen hooked Marissa back up to the monitors, "Okay. You have my pager number. Page me if you need me."

"Thank you," Marissa smiled genuinely up at Alex.

Thirteen couldn't help, but smiled back. Then she walked out of the room and toward Cuddy's office.

As she walked she heard the familiar sound of someone limping behind her, "I don't appreciate you sending your minions out to do your dirty work."

"I'm telling Kutner you called him a minion," House stated and walked off.

Thirteen chuckled as she neared Cuddy's office. She knocked first then stepped in, closing the door behind herself.


	5. Chapter 5

"Kutner said you wanted to see me," Thirteen explained to Cuddy.

Cuddy nodded, "Oh yeah." She dug around her desk and pulled out some papers. "It's time for yearly peer evaluations."

"Peer evaluations?" Thirteen asked taking the papers.

"I know. But what the board wants the board gets," Cuddy stated.

"I have one for Kutner, Taub, and House," Thirteen looked over her papers, "Does that mean they have one for me?"

"Yes," Cuddy replied.

"Okay," Thirteen smiled, "Is that it?"

Cuddy nodded, "Thanks for your help last night."

"No problem," Thirteen replied and walked out.

She walked to Marissa's room and stepped inside. She smiled when she saw Marissa eating, "I take it you feel better."

Marissa nodded.

"Good," Thirteen checked her pager, "I'll come check on you when I have time today okay?"

"Thank you," Marissa smiled fully for the first time since she got to the hospital.

"Hey, Alex before you go," Seth walked over to her and handed her an envelope, "It's an invitation to our wedding. We'd love it if you would come."

Thirteen hugged him, "Thanks. I'll definitely be there."

"And there's a plus one in there so if you happen to have any _special_ female _friends_ you'd like to drink along and…" Seth was interrupted by a slap to his arm from Summer.

"Way to turn a sweet gesture into something pervy," Summer told him then looked at Thirteen, "You don't _have_ to bring anyone." She hugged Thirteen, "But you can if you want to."

Thirteen smiled and nodded, "Okay." She looked at Marissa, "I better check you over before I go." She put her stethoscope to Marissa's check.

"That's cold," Marissa told Thirteen.

"Sorry," Thirteen smiled, "Take a deep breath." She put the stethoscope back around her neck. She picked up Marissa's hands and looked them over. "Any lightheadedness? Sharp pains? Nausea?"

Marissa shrugged, "My head hurts a little, but I feel fine."

Thirteen nodded, "Okay. Well page me if you need me. I'll be back around lunch time."

Julie walked in, just at Thirteen was walking out, with a folder in her hand. "How's Marissa?"

"She's eating," Thirteen explained, "Which is good."

Julie nodded, "Thank you."

Thirteen nodded and walked out.

"There you are," House said to Thirteen when she walked into the conference room, "Patient's symptoms are short-term memory loss, chorea, rigidness, confusion, chronic fatigue, tremors, fever, and vomiting."

"Huntington's," Kutner said.

"Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease," Taub added.

House looked to Thirteen, "Anything to add."

"Is there any family history?" she asked, taking her seat.

"Kid was dropped off at a police station a few days after birth," Taub said, "No history."

"So we have an open field," House said.

"Encephalitis," Thirteen looked up from the chart.

"Do your blood work," he told Thirteen, "Test for Encephalitis _and_ Huntington's." He pointed his cane at Taub, "Then you run your MRI."

When they walked into the patient's room Thirteen paused in the doorway. The patient looked only a few years older than she was. It just brought it all back. That she _could_ have Huntington's. That it _could_ hit her at anytime and she'd have no idea. She shook out those thoughts and went over to the man. She smiled, "I'm going to take a blood sample so we can run some tests."

The man nodded.

Thirteen took the sample. Kutner picked up the chart and looked it over. Then he looked at the patient, "You're mute?"

He nodded again.

"That's gonna make the questions I'm going to ask difficult," Taub said.

"Do you know sign language?" Kutner asked.

The man raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"I'll go see if one of the nurses does," Thirteen offered. She stepped out into the hallway and walked to a nurses station, "Do any of you know sign language?"

"I do," a voice behind her said.

She turned around to see Summer with a paper bag in her hands. "Can you translate real fast?"

Summer nodded, "Let me drop this off for Marissa. She's been eating like a horse."

Thirteen smiled. "Good."

The girls walked back into the patient's room.

"How long has the short term memory loss been going on?" Taub asked.

Thirteen pointed to Summer, "She's translating."

He started signing to Summer, while Summer spoke for him, "A few months now. I just thought I was too stressed."

"What about the tremors?" Taub asked.

"Yesterday," Summer said.

After all the questions were asked, Summer stood up and said to the patient, "It was nice to meet you."

He smiled and signed something.

"Your welcome," Summer smiled kindly and walked out with the doctors.

"Thank you so much," Thirteen told Summer.

"It's not problem," Summer replied.

"How do you know sign language?" Kutner asked.

"I work with deaf and mute children," Summer explained.

Thirteen looked impressed, "Wow. I didn't see that coming."

Summer chuckled, "Neither did I. I was doing community service my senior year for my college application and I just sort of fell into it. Anyway I just came by to drop off Marissa's lunch." Summer went through her purse and pulled out a card, "Call me if you need anything."

Thirteen put the card in her pocket, "Thank you again."

"You're welcome," Summer just smiled and walked off.

Thirteen decided it was time to go check on Marissa. When she got to her room, she saw Marissa and Julie were the only ones left. There were papers spread out all over Marissa's bed. Marissa was finishing off what looked like a burrito.

"This one has a fireplace in the bedroom," Julie handed a paper to Marissa, "And it's ten minutes from 5th Avenue."

"Where's Nolita?" Marissa asked the paper she was looking at.

Thirteen answered for Julie, "Nolita stands for North of Little Italy. It's on the south part of Manhattan Island. It's a really great neighborhood. I have some friends who live there." She paused, "Seeing as how you're shopping already I'm guessing you feel better."

"I feel alright," Marissa said, "I'm tired, but my new apartment isn't going to buy itself."

"You need to rest," Thirteen told her, but added after Marissa silently pleaded with her eyes, "After you narrow it down to three."

Marissa smiled, "After my treatment on tomorrow, since you have Mondays off, will you come with me to look at the three I've narrowed it down to. Manhattan's kinda of foreign to me."

"Sure," Thirteen nodded.

"Then maybe we can go to dinner?" Marissa asked quietly.

Thirteen smiled, "Okay. I know this great Ethiopia place down from Central Park."

"Cool," Marissa smiled.

Thirteen's pager went off. She checked it, "I gotta go. I'll be back after this to see what we can do about letting you leave." With that, she darted out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Thirteen yawned. She was looking forward to her bed already and it wasn't even three yet. She found herself drawn back to the man with the genetic disease. He was tapping his fingers on the rail of his bed, looking out the window. Taub told him earlier that he had Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

She leaned on the doorframe and wondered what she'd be thinking if someone just told her she was dying.

He turned his head to look at her with a small smile on his face.

"How are you feeling?" Thirteen asked, out of habit.

He shrugged. He pointed to his head and made a bird with his hands that flew away.

"I know the feeling," Thirteen replied. She looked out the window as snow started to fall.

The man took a piece of paper and scribbled something down. He handed it to Thirteen and she read it out loud, "What are you thinking?" She raised an eyebrow, "Are you a shrink?"

He smiled and scribbled something else.

"No, I'm just used to listening," Thirteen smiled. She put the paper back down and shrugged, "Would you rather not know that you're dying or not know?" Thirteen looked out the window.

When she turned around a paper was waiting to be read. Thirteen picked it up, "It doesn't matter now." She paused, "I guess not."

She thought about her own possibility of disease. Because of it she went sky diving and rock climbing. She was scheduled to go Base jumping next month. But the possibility kept her from letting anyone get too close. Sure she had friends, but she always kept them at arm's length. None of them knew about her life before Plainsboro apart from her med school at Harvard. Romance didn't even seem like an option anymore.

"What are you afraid of?" a voice came from the door.

Thirteen turned around to see Summer standing in the doorway with her coat draped over her arm.

Summer smiled, "Not my question. His."

Thirteen looked back at him. She replied, "I don't know."

He signed to Summer who relayed, "Life's too short to not to let someone in."

Thirteen furrowed her eyebrows at him.

He smiled and sighed. "Dr. House and Dr. Kutner were in here talking about you."

"Great," Thirteen rolled her eyes.

"You never know," Summer translated, "When it will all be over. Take chances. You climbed Kilimanjaro, risking your body. Take a chance and risk your heart."

Thirteen let out a reluctant smile, "How did you get so wise?"

"Being told when you're going to die is humbling and causes one to look inward," Summer said, watching his hands move. They moved to his wallet on the table next to the bed and he flipped it open. A faded picture of a woman was the first thing they saw.

"She's beautiful," Summer stated to the man.

He smiled and sighed.

"She's my wife," Summer translated, "She died two years ago."

"I'm sorry," Thirteen told him.

He held her eyes and signed to Summer, "The only thing I regret is not asking her to marry me sooner."

Thirteen sighed, "I think this is all the philosophical talk I can handle right now. I'll be back to check on you later."

"Bye Thirteen," Summer said. She stood and walked with Thirteen out the door.

"You climbed Kilimanjaro?" Summer asked.

Thirteen nodded.

"Holy Mac," she said, "What was that in there?"

"We were just talking," Thirteen shrugged.

"It seemed like you had something on your mind," Summer stated, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Thirteen shook her head.

"For what it's worth," Summer stopped in the middle of the hallway stopping Thirteen with her, "I agree with him. You should risk your heart for someone you think you truly want. Broken hearts heal."

Thirteen nodded, taking Summer's words to heart.

"You look tired," Summer stated.

"I am," Thirteen walked with Summer toward Marissa's room. When they got there, they found Marissa and Julie both asleep. Thirteen walked over to the monitors and checked to make sure everything was okay.

"When can she leave?" Summer asked, "This room is tiny."

Thirteen picked up the chart, "I'm going to get the discharge papers and then when she signs them she can leave. Who is she staying with?"

"I'm going to stay with her at the hotel. It's closer to here than my apartment, in case something happens" Summer answered, "Julie's staying at the Ritz-Carlton by Central Park." Summer picked up some of the apartment listings off the foot of the bed. "I'm trying to talk her into moving to the upper west side with us, but she wants to move to the Village."

Thirteen smiled.

Summer sat in a chair, "You'll come to see us right?"

"Of course," Thirteen replied, "It's only an hour on the Turnpike."

After taking a deep breath and looked at Marissa she looked at Thirteen, "She misses you."

"She told me," Thirteen started to busy herself so she wouldn't have to look at Summer during the conversation she knew Summer was going to start.

"If you ask me," Summer said, "You were probably the best thing that ever happened to her, but you know her. She's self-destructive. She even tried to push me away. I just wouldn't budge."

Thirteen felt personally attacked and answered in a less than friendly tone, "What else was I supposed to do? She broke my heart. She wanted me gone so I left."

Summer realized how what she said might have sounded, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just-I'm sorry."

Thirteen shook her head, "No, I'm sorry. I'm just…tired."

"You were gonna say something else," Summer stated.

Thirteen sighed. "No was I wasn't." She set Marissa's chart down on the bed, "I gotta go."

Summer watched her walk out then whispered to a sleeping Marissa, "You have your work cut out for you."


	7. Chapter 7

House walked into Marissa's room a few minutes after her mom left. Summer sat in the chair next to Marissa's bed, reading while Marissa watched TV.

"Miss Cooper?" he asked.

Marissa looked at him, "Yeah?"  
He walked all the way in and closed the door, "How much to you know about Thirteen?"

"Enough," Marissa replied, "Why?"

He shrugged, "Professional curiosity."

"Doesn't she have like a personnel file or something that you can read?" Summer asked, looking up from her comic book.

"Where would the fun in that be?" House asked.

"Why don't you just ask her?" Marissa asked.

"I've tried that," House replied, "It's time to be sneaky. You're the first patient that she stayed overnight for. Why?"

"Dedication to her job?" Marissa asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Did she tell you not to answer any of my questions?" House asked twirling his cane in his hand.

"Why do you want to know about her so bad?" Summer asked, tilting her head.

"Why won't you just answer my questions?" House asked back.

Summer looked back down at the comic book in her hand and resumed reading.

Marissa studied House for a moment. "Do you have a crush on her?"

"Why? Do you?" House asked.

Marissa rolled her eyes, "Never mind."

"So you do," House smiled.

"Is it the first time someone has had a crush on her?" Marissa asked, "She's hot and smart and sweet. Who wouldn't have a crush on her?"

"I don't think Miss Marvel over there has a crush on her," House stated.

"Yeah I do," Summer replied from behind her comic book, "So does my future husband."

House raised an eyebrow, "Do they not have pretty people where you come from?"

"That's gotta be it," Marissa shrugged, "There are no pretty people in Orange County."

"Yes there are," House smiled, "I watched Laguna Beach. So Thirteen used to live in Orange County?"

Marissa silently cursed herself for letting that slip. It wasn't that Thirteen asked her to not say anything. It's just that it was fun to toy with House especially when he didn't think you were capable of it.

"Not that I know of," Marissa shrugged. Luckily, Marissa was a skilled liar so there was nothing she did that indicated to House that she was lying.

"So met her somewhere else?" House leaned on the wall behind him.

"Yup," Marissa nodded, "I met her at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital."

As House opened his mouth again the door slid open. Thirteen stepped in and looked at House, "What are you doing here?"

"I was merely having a conversation with the patient," House explained.

Thirteen turned to Marissa who didn't look emotionally shaken in any way. She handed Marissa the papers in her hand. "Just sign them and I'll take them so you can leave."

Once Marissa had the papers, Thirteen looked at House.

"Hot date tomorrow?" House asked with a smile.

"What?" Thirteen asked, surprised.

"You're usually the one that tires to get patients to stay all through their treatment," House stated, "So you're discharging her because you two have a date tomorrow or…"

"Or Cuddy said we needed the room and her hotel room is only a few blocks from here in case something happens," Thirteen explained smoothly.

"How do you know where her hotel room is?" House asked.

"You sent me there to find out who she was, remember?" Thirteen stated.

House paused then nodded, "Have a nice life Miss Cooper. It was good to see you again Miss Marvel."

"Later," Summer waved, not looking up from her comic.

When he walked out, Thirteen turned to Marissa.

"I think he likes you," Marissa smiled to Thirteen as she signed.

"What?" Thirteen asked.

"He wants to know about you," Marissa stated, "He wants to know everything."

"What did you tell him?" Thirteen smiled and took the papers.

"Nothing," Marissa replied.

"Thanks," Thirteen said, "I'll be right back to unhook you from everything."

"Thanks," Marissa beamed and Thirteen walked out. Then she turned to Summer, "Do you really have a crush on her?"

Summer smiled up from the comic book, "Don't worry, I won't make a move on your woman."

"But really do you?" Marissa asked.

"Well, I've always had a thing for doctors. I think it all started when step-monster sat me in front of the TV to stop me from asking questions when I was little. I watched a lot of Doogie Houser and MASH." Summer winked at Marissa then went back to reading her comic.


	8. Chapter 8

When Summer and Marissa got back to the hotel, they turned on a movie and ordered room service.

"So are you gonna make a move?" Summer asked.

"What?" Marissa asked, ripping her attention from the movie.

Summer looked at Marissa, "Are you gonna make a move on your hot doctor?"

"Should I?" Marissa asked back.

"Yeah," Summer replied, "If you don't, I'll make a move for you."

"How would you do that?" Marissa smiled, propping her head up with her hand.

Summer took another bite of her pasta, "Well, she's a doctor so if you happened to fall down the stairs…"

"You'd risk killing me to get me back with Alex?" Marissa asked sipping her wine.

"It'd only by one flight of stairs," Summer smirked.

Marissa laughed.

Before long, they both fell asleep, completely missing the end of the movie they were watching.

Thirteen slowly woke up in her bed to the sound of her phone ringing. She groggily picked it up and answered, "Hello?"

"You're still asleep?" Marissa's voice asked.

"It's only," Thirteen paused to look at the clock, "Oh, it's nine."

"Where do you live?" Marissa asked, "We're going to breakfast."

Thirteen rattled off her address and directions. "How do you feel?"

"I feel great," Marissa replied, "I should have someone else's plasma flushed through every couple years."

Thirteen chuckled, "You really don't want that."

"You're right," Marissa laughed, "If they poke any more holes in me I'll start to look like Swiss cheese." There was a paused then Marissa said, "Okay, I'm here."

"Already?" Thirteen asked, "Do you mind if I jump in the shower real quick?"

"No problem," Marissa replied, "Do you want me to come back?"

"No you can come up," Thirteen dropped her pants and stripped off her shirt, "I'll leave the door open. It's 4D."

"Okay," Marissa parked.

"Make yourself at home," Thirteen said, opening the front door and leaving it cracked.

"Alright," Marissa got out of her car.

"See ya," Thirteen added before hanging up and jumping in the shower.

Marissa rode the elevator up to the forth floor and found the door marked 4D slightly open. She peeked in a looked around to make sure it was Thirteen's apartment before barging in. She spotted the large collection of CDs and LPs next to an acoustic guitar with a nick in the side. She smiled and walked in. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the guitar. She was the one that put the nick in the side.

One day she was doing the dishes, at the apartment they shared, and the phone rang. She went to get it and stumbled over the guitar sending it crashing into the coffee table. She spent the whole day panicking, thinking that Alex would be mad, but when Alex got home and saw the guitar and the tears in Marissa's eyes, she just smiled and pulled Marissa into her arms. She told her it was okay, that she understood it was an accident. Then Marissa begged her to play a song for her. Alex obliged and Marissa completely melted at the sound of the guitar with the blonde's voice singing a love song to her.

"Yeah, that guitar is still mad at you for throwing it," Thirteen smiled from the doorway.

Marissa turned around to find Thirteen, completely dressed with her wet hair up in the ponytail. "That was fast."

Thirteen shrugged, "It was fifteen minutes."

Marissa looked at her watch. It had indeed been fifteen minutes. She stood in front of that guitar reminiscing for fifteen minutes without realizing it. "Well, are you hungry?"

"I'm starving," Thirteen replied.

After a quick breakfast they took off looking at apartments. After a few hours, they found the second one on their list. When they walked up the stone stoop Thirteen commented, "This one looks nice."

"So did the last one," Marissa stated opening the door with the key the realtor gave her, "But it smelled like cat pee."

"So you want good looks _and_ good smells?" Thirteen joked, "You're asking for a lot in New York."

"Bad looks can be fixed," Marissa replied swinging the door open. I'd rather have one that doesn't smell like cat pee or dead rats."

They walked in and looked around.

"Wow," Thirteen breathed. Hanging over the living room was a beautiful chandelier and the floor was a polished hardwood. Stretching from above of the massive fireplace all the way around the room, intricately decorated crown molding framed the high ceiling.

"What do you think?" Marissa asked walking down the hallway with Thirteen right behind her.

"I think it's beautiful," Thirteen replied.

"Good," Marissa nodded, "Looking around. I think I'll buy it. It's right where I want it. It's plenty big."

"Oh my God," Thirteen looked around one of the downstairs closets, "You could fit my whole apartment in this closet."

"You're welcome to live in the closet," Marissa smirked, "But the bathroom upstairs is bigger."

"There's an upstairs?" Thirteen asked, "No way."

Marissa pointed to the spiral staircase in the back corner of the living room. Thirteen walked up the stairs as Marissa stayed downstairs.

"I think I picked the wrong profession," Thirteen replied walking back down a few minutes later, "I wanna do what you do."

Marissa smiled.

"But there's only one thing missing," Thirteen walked around the expansive living room.

"What's that?" Marissa asked.

"A fire pole," Thirteen pointed to the stairs.

Marissa burst into laughter followed by Thirteen. When they settled down, they finished their walk through of the house.

"I love that fireplace," Thirteen replied.

"Me too," Marissa stood next to Thirteen looking at it.

Marissa took a step back, steadying herself by grabbing into Thirteen's arm. Thirteen immediately grabbed Marissa.

"Are you okay?" Thirteen asked, fishing her keys out of her pocket. She checked Marissa's pupils with the mini flashlight keychain she had. Then checked Marissa's pulse.

"I'm fine," Marissa replied, "I was just staring at one spot on the wall and thinking too hard."

Thirteen checked Marissa's lymph nodes before deciding that she was really okay. "Do you always almost pass out when you think too hard?"

Marissa smiled and playfully swatted Thirteen's arm, "Shut up."

Thirteen smiled back and then looked out the window. Marissa watched her start to wander again until her phone rang.

"Yeah?" Marissa asked.

"Hey, how's it going?" Summer asked.

"It's going," Marissa replied.

"You haven't made a move yet," Summer sighed, "Just remember every minute you put off making a move is another minute you're without her."

Marissa frowned, "I hate it when you're right."

"I guess it's up to me then. C'mon you and Alex have to meet me and Cohen for lunch," Summer stated.

"Do you wanna meet Summer and Seth for lunch?" Marissa asked Thirteen.

Thirteen nodded, "Sure."

"Okay," Marissa told Summer.

"Smokey's on 27th," Summer stated, "I'm sure Alex knows where it is. Bye."

Before Marissa could say anything else, Summer hung up.

"Do you know where Smokey's on 27th is?" Marissa asked Thirteen.

"Yeah," Thirteen smiled, "I love that place."

Marissa tossed Thirteen her keys, "Then you drive."


	9. Chapter 9

When they walked in the restaurant, Marissa spotted Summer and Seth.

"Hey," Summer stood and hugged Marissa, then Thirteen. Seth did the same.

"How's house hunting?" Summer asked.

"I found the one I want," Marissa said sliding into the booth next to Thirteen.

Right after she ordered Thirteen's phone rang. "Hello?…what?…tonight?….fine, I'll be there." Thirteen hung up the phone.

"Hot date?" Summer smirked.

Thirteen rolled her eyes, "House waited to tell me until today that the 2nd annual hospital casino night benefit is tonight."

"Sounds fun," Seth interjected.

"You guys can come," Thirteen shrugged, "It's for the hospital."

"Alright," Summer smiled at Marissa, "Doesn't it sound fun?"

"Oh…yeah," Marissa nodded.

"Cool," Thirteen smiled, "I just don't have anything to wear. It's formal."

"Do you know what that means?" Summer beamed.

Seth leaned over the table and whispered to Thirteen, "It means they're going to drag up shopping and take three hours getting ready."

Summer hit him in the arm.

A few minutes later they were on their way to some boutiques in Soho. When Summer parked, everyone got out and Marissa and Summer led the way.

"This is your fault you know," Seth told Thirteen.

"How is it my fault?" Thirteen asked.

"You told them about that benefit thing tonight," Seth replied.

"They asked," Thirteen shrugged.

They followed the girls into an upscale boutique.

"Seth go sit down," Summer instructed, "I'll grab you something."

"Thank you," Seth smiled and kissed Summer.

Summer looked Thirteen up and down, "You too."

"Huh?" Thirteen asked.

"We'll find you something too," Summer smiled.

Thirteen looked surprised, but smiled, "Thanks." She turned to Seth, "Hey there's a music store around the corner. You wanna check it out?"

Seth nodded and called to Summer and Marissa who were already skimming through racks, "We're going around the corner. We'll be back."

"Okay," Summer said not looking away from the clothes, "I'll call you."

Seth followed Thirteen out the door, "As long as she's shopping, I could tell her we were going to a strip club and she wouldn't care."

After they were in the music store for a few minutes, Seth's cell phone rang. He checked the ID and answered it, "Hi baby…okay…we'll be right there." He hung up. "Hey Alex! They're ready for us."

Thirteen looked up from the box of LPs and nodded, "Let me get these real fast." She picked up an LP and a few CDs.

Once she had her purchases, Thirteen and Seth walked back to the boutique. As soon as they walked in, Marissa handed Thirteen an armful of dresses. Summer handed Seth an armful of suits.

"Go to the dressing rooms," Summer stated, "And we want to see everything."

Thirteen raised an eyebrow, but followed Seth to the dressing rooms.

She picked out a long black dress out of the bunch she got and slipped it on. "Hey, I need help with the zipper." She unlocked to door and cracked it open.

Marissa stepped in and smiled, "Hey." She slowly zipped up the dress.

When Thirteen turned around, she looked at herself in the mirror, "How do I look?"

"Wow," Marissa breathed.

"Really?" Thirteen asked, turning in front of the mirror.

"You look amazing," Marissa said honestly.

Thirteen smiled, "Thanks."

Marissa picked up a red dress, "I want you to try this one though."

Thirteen turned her back to Marissa, "Unzip me?"

Marissa very slowly unzipped the dress, watching the flawless skin of Thirteen's back appear. She gulped and took a deep breath.

There was a knock on the dressing room door, then it opened. Summer stuck her head in and handed Marissa some dresses, "The other dressing rooms are full, you two will have to share this one okay?" Summer smiled brightly.

But before either one could answer, Summer was gone.

Thirteen and Marissa exchanged a nervous glance before getting back to the business of trying on clothes.


	10. Chapter 10

Thirteen had on the red dress before Marissa could get undressed.

"I like this one," Thirteen looked at herself in the mirror. She turned to look at her back. "This is great."

"You look amazing," Marissa told Thirteen as she slipped on a blue dress of her own.

"Thanks," Thirteen ran the material between her fingers, "You have amazing taste in clothes."

Marissa smirked, "Always."

Thirteen moved out of the way as best she could so Marissa could look at herself.

"I love it," Thirteen commented taking the red dress off and hanging it back up.

"Just let me know if you want me to go shopping for you," Marissa replied, straightening out her dress.

"No I meant the one you're wearing," Thirteen walked over and stood behind Marissa, clad only in her underwear and matching bra. "It's perfect on you."

"Oh," Marissa beamed, "Thanks. I just can't seem to get it to straighten out."

"Here," Thirteen took a step forward and slid her hands along Marissa's waist. She tugged at the material, while Marissa was inwardly reminding her lungs how to breathe.

When Thirteen finished the adjusting, she smoothed out the dress and retracted her hands. "Beautiful."

Marissa didn't actually hear her. She was looking at the reflection of the doctor's legs in the mirror. Her eyes traveled up the legs until they reached the piercing blue eyes that belonged to Thirteen. She felt her knees go weak and her heart race.

"Alex," Marissa turned around, "I…um…wanted to tell you…" Just as she paused her phone rang. Marissa sighed and picked it up, "Hello?…oh hey Ryan…."

As soon as Marissa said the name Ryan, Thirteen started to get her things together.

Marissa was looking at the ground as Ryan told her something, she wasn't really listening. When she looked up, Thirteen was gone. Marissa cursed herself for not being able to spit out what she wanted to tell Thirteen.

When Summer appeared in the doorway, Marissa said to Ryan, "Look Ryan I gotta go. Bye." She snapped her phone shut.

Summer stepped in and closed the door behind her. "I get you in a dressing room with the half naked love of your life and you're on the phone with Ryan?"

"I was about to say something when Ryan called," Marissa sighed.

"Seriously," Summer stated, "Say something tonight."

Marissa nodded, "I will. I promise."

When they walked out of the dressing room, they saw Seth and Thirteen waiting by the door. Thirteen already had her dress paid for and bagged.

Marissa sighed and paid for her dress then waited for Summer.

"What now?" Seth asked walking with the girls back toward the cars.

"We have to start getting ready," Summer stated.

The friends parted ways and Marissa drove Thirteen back to her apartment. When Marissa pulled to a stop outside Thirteen's apartment building, Thirteen gathered her things, "Thanks for lunch and for picking out my dress."

"No problem," Marissa replied, "So I'll see you at the hospital?"

Thirteen nodded, "I'll meet you there." She smiled brightly, "Bye."

"Bye," Marissa smiled back.

Thirteen closed the door and walked to her door, new purchases in hand. Marissa wanted to bang her head on the steering wheel for not being able to say anything all the way back to New Jersey.

Marissa ran into Seth and Summer as they walked into the hospital. There were well dressed people everywhere from doctors and lawyers to janitorial staff and gardeners.

"Is anyone else having flashbacks?" Summer asked, "It's like a Newport party except colder."

"And in a hospital," Seth added.

"Hey," Thirteen said from behind them.

"Hey," Marissa smiled and turned around. Her mouth then hung slightly open at the sight in front of her. Thirteen's hair was done in soft curls and the red dress hugged her body. "Wow."

"You look good Alex," Seth smiled.

Summer looked to Marissa to add to the wow, but she was currently speechless. "You look really great."

"So do you guys," Thirteen smiled. She glanced around, "So who's up for a game of poker?"

"We're actually going to get something to drink," Summer stated and took Seth's arms, dragging him away.

"I don't really know how to play, so I'll watch you," Marissa stated.

Thirteen nodded, "Okay."

After stopping to grab some poker chips, Thirteen and Marissa made their way to a poker table. Thirteen had a seat next to Cuddy, across from Kutner.

"Hey aren't you TTP girl?" Kutner asked Marissa.

"I guess so," Marissa shrugged, "But most people call me Marissa."

The dealer dealt and Thirteen raised the pot. Cuddy looked her over and called. Kutner folded right off the bat.

Cuddy revealed her cards to Thirteen and smiled smugly about her pair of tens. Thirteen let out a small smirked and showed Cuddy a pair of kings.

"Nice one," House said sitting in the vacant chair between Cuddy and Kutner.

"Thanks," Thirteen stated, stacking her chips.

"You brought TTP girl as a good luck charm?" House asked tossing in his ante.

Thirteen smiled up at Marissa, "Seems like she's working huh?"

"Poker's not about luck," House stated, glancing at his cards, "It's about deception." He looked at Kutner, "Did you know a male Indian cobra has two penises?"

Kutner looked confused by House's statement. He shook it off and looked at his cards. House tossed in a few more chips, "I raise."

Kutner sighed and folded.

House smiled then looked to Thirteen. Emotionlessly she called his raise. House just stared at Thirteen waiting for her to do something.

"Can I help you?" Thirteen asked.

"You used to play poker a lot didn't you?" House asked.

"Nope," Thirteen replied.

"That's a lie," House studied Thirteen.

"You're right," Thirteen smiled, "I played poker to support myself through Med school."

House played with his poker chips.

Cuddy tossed in a few chips.

House raised again, but Thirteen raised his raise. Cuddy folded and watched the two.

Finally they had to reveal their cards.

"Ooh," Thirteen smiled, "I'm pretty sure a full house beats a spade flush."

House watched Thirteen, "Did you know that a bee's penis snaps off during copulation."

"Did you know that there are no male whiptail lizards so the females had sex with each other to stimulate egg production?" Thirteen countered.

Marissa raised an eyebrow. She didn't know whether to laugh or be disgusted.

Just as House opened his mouth, Thirteen's pager went off. She lifted her dress and unclipped her pager from a elastic band around her lower thigh. She checked the number and stood, "Hey Riss, fill in for me, okay?"

Marissa nodded, "Okay."

Thirteen walked off toward the interior of the hospital.

As Marissa sat down, House added, "Barnacles have inflatable penises up to fifty times their body length."

"What's your fascination with penises?" Marissa asked.

"Do you have a problem if I'm fascinated with penises?" House asked back.

"Don't worry," Cuddy told Marissa, "He's not always like this. It's only when there are cards and poker chips."

Thirteen walked into the ER, "Someone paged me."

"I did," Cameron stepped forward in scrubs and a lab coat, "I need a second opinion and based on yours maybe a third and forth."

"Okay," Thirteen shrugged.

Cameron looked at her clipboard, "Dilated pupils, double vision, problems speaking, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing. We had to intabate a few hours ago. He's out cold right now. His lungs are starting to shut down."

"How are his reflexes?" Thirteen asked.

"Complete areflexia," Cameron stated.

"Sounds like Guillain-Barre Syndrome," Thirteen offered.

"I was thinking botulism," Cameron stated.

Thirteen bit her lip, "Where was he three days ago?"

"Newark," Cameron replied, "He lives there. He's here on business. He sells medical supplies."

"If he wasn't dying that'd be ironic," Thirteen added, "It takes an hour to get to Newark. Did he have keys with him?"

Cameron nodded.

"Okay," Thirteen stated, "You start the tests for Guillain-Barre and Botulism. I'll drive down to Newark and see if I can find what might have made him sick. I might get there before you get the results back."

"Alright," Cameron nodded.

Thirteen walked back over to the table and tapped Kutner, "C'mon we're going to Newark."

"What?" Kutner asked.

"It's for a patient," Thirteen replied.

"Who's patient?" Cuddy asked.

"Cameron's," Thirteen stated, "It's either Guillain-Barre or Botulism."

"And you're going to the patient's house to figure out if it was Botulism before his lungs are paralyzed?" House asked.

"Exactly," Thirteen stated. She rounded to table to Marissa, "I'm sorry I have to leave. Call me." She kissed the side of Marissa's head and took off with Kutner right behind her.

Marissa blinked once before it registered that Thirteen had kissed her. House was staring intently at her and Cuddy looked on with an amused grin.

Marissa pushed all her chips in. Once all the cards were revealed, Marissa had won everyone's chips. She gathered up the chips and cashed them out before walking outside. She sat on a bench in the chilly night and dialed.

"Thirteen," the voice on the other line answered.

"Hey Alex," Marissa smiled.

"Hey," Thirteen chuckled, "Long time no see."

"You told me to call you, but I wasn't sure when," Marissa stated, "And I just beat both of your bosses at poker."

"You beat House?" Thirteen asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Marissa smiled, "It wasn't hard. I actually just wanted to leave with or without the chips and we were in the middle of a hand. I went all in and won."

"Cool," Thirteen replied, "So are you going to keep me company all the way to Newark?"

"Isn't there another doctor in the car with you?" Marissa asked.

Thirteen chuckled, "As soon as I started driving he was out cold."

Marissa stayed on the phone with Thirteen while she found Seth and Summer who both said bye to Thirteen then Marissa.

Marissa drove back to her hotel and change while on the phone with Thirteen talking about whatever popped into their minds.

"I never knew you were a Lakers fan," Marissa said falling back onto her bed and pulling the covers over herself.

"What do you think that purple streak in my hair was for?" Thirteen asked.

"No way," Marissa smirked, "Really?"

Thirteen laughed, "No."

"You're mean," Marissa feigned a whine.

"I am not," Thirteen replied.

"Ok fine you're not," Marissa flipped on the TV. She smiled, "You'll never guess what's on TV."

"Probably not," Thirteen said, "What?"

"It's the horror movie from the night Lindsey passed out on the couch in your office, Ryan yelled, and you defended me," Marissa added quietly.

"That night, I thought I was going to have to kill him," Thirteen replied, "No one talked to my girl like that."

"Your girl?" Marissa asked.

"You were mine in my head," Thirteen explained, "And I knew it was only a matter of time."

Marissa chuckled, "You sure are full of yourself."

"Who else would I be full of?" Thirteen retorted playfully.

Marissa paused and took a deep breath. "Uh, Alex…I have something to tell you…."

"Okay," Thirteen said nonchalantly, "Go for it."

"I…um…I…I'm sorta…"


	11. Chapter 11

Marissa took a deep breath to halt her stuttering. "Did you kiss me when you left the hospital?"

There was a long pause, "You noticed that huh?"

"Yeah," Marissa replied.

"It was just a…well I don't know what it was. It just sorta happened," Thirteen explained, "We've been spending so much time together that…"

"What?" Marissa urged her on.

"Never mind," Thirteen mumbled.

Marissa decided that it was now or never, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Thirteen asked.

"The laundry, the bonfire, the beer cans, being so stupid and choosing Ryan over you," Marissa spit out in one breath, "Since you left I can't stop thinking about you. I _did_ track you down through your Jodi and your dad, but it wasn't just to be friends and return your shirt. I wanted to see if I could fix what I screwed up. I know it's been years, but…I have to know. Is there a chance for us?"

There was silence on the other end.

Marissa sighed, "Forget it."

"No!" Thirteen quickly said, "I'm just…a little stunned. I don't see why there can't be a chance for us as long as we take it slow."

Marissa's heart soared, "Thank you so much. Um…can I take you out on a date then?" Marissa asked.

"You sure don't waste any time do you?" Thirteen chuckled.

Marissa smiled, "I've already wasted too much time."

"Sure," Thirteen couldn't stop a smile. Her smile suddenly faded, "Uh, Marissa there's something I need to tell you before we get into anything serious."

"Okay," Marissa bit her lip hoping that whatever Thirteen was going to tell her wouldn't ruin their chance for anything.

"Do you remember when I told you my mom died of Huntington's Chorea?" Thirteen checked the passenger's seat to make sure Kutner was still asleep.

"Yeah," Marissa urged her on.

"What I didn't tell you was that Huntington's is genetic," Thirteen let out a breath.

Marissa took a second to process what Thirteen just said, "Wait…so you have Huntington's."

"There's a fifty percent chance that I do," Thirteen said quietly.

Marissa was so stunned that she dropped her phone. It snapped closed when it hit the ground next to the bed. She scrambled to pick it up and call Thirteen back, but just got her voicemail.

"Marissa?" Thirteen asked. She looked at her phone and noticed that she had absolutely no signal. Thirteen sighed. "Shit." She closed her phone and tossed her phone into the cup holder next to her.

Marissa tried to call back a few more times, but kept getting her voicemail. That either meant she turned off her phone or drove out of range. Marissa was hoping to God it was the latter.

When Thirteen pulled into the man's driveway she woke up Kutner and went to the front door.

"So what are we looking for?" Kutner asked pulling on his latex gloves as Thirteen unlocked the door with the man's keys.

"We're going to check his trash can first to see if there's anything in there that could have caused it," Thirteen swung the door open and was immediately greeted by a putrid odor.

"You know what that smells like?" Kutner asked as they stepped in. Thirteen took the lead and went toward kitchen while Kutner stayed around the living room.

"It smells like a dead dog," Thirteen stated, "C'mere."

Kutner walked into the kitchen where there was a dog laying on the floor at Thirteen's feet. Thirteen readjusted her gloves and touched the dog. "She's in full rigor."

Kutner picked up a bag off of the floor that looked like it had been chewed through. "I can't read this, but this has to be it. There's some on the plate in the sink."

Thirteen peeled off her gloves and picked up her phone. Now that they were in Newark her phone worked. She had seven missed calls from Marissa.

Thirteen called Cameron.

"Hello?" Cameron asked.

"Hey it's Thirteen," Thirteen stated, "It's definitely botulism."

"How do you know for sure?" Cameron asked.

"He ate some kind of tofu looking stuff and after he left his dog got a hold of it," Thirteen answered, "The dog's dead."

"How long?" Cameron asked.

"At least twelve hours," Thirteen stated.

"Okay, thanks," Cameron stated, hung up, and ran to treat the man before he met the same fate as his dog.

When they walked out of the house, Kutner asked, "Can we grab a burger on the way home? I'm starving."

"Sure," Thirteen nodded.

An hour and a half later, Thirteen dropped Kutner by the hospital that was empty of all people who weren't sick or working the night shift. She made her way home and trudged up the stairs with all intentions of calling Marissa when she got inside.

As she stepped out of the elevator, Thirteen saw Marissa standing next to her doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Thirteen asked softly.

Marissa grabbed Thirteen's dress and pulled their bodies together sending their lips crashing in a passion lip lock.

"I'm done wasting time," Marissa said after the kiss.

Thirteen smiled and kissed Marissa nailing her against the door. Thirteen unlocked the door without letting go of Marissa and they stumbled inside.

Marissa deftly found the zipper on the back of Thirteen's dress as she pushed Thirteen back toward where she thought the bedroom was. Thirteen's dress dropped to the floor a few feet from the bedroom door. Thirteen returned the favor and ridded Marissa of her dress a few feet from the bed.

Before she knew it, Thirteen was on her back on the bed with Marissa hovering over her. Marissa slowly leaned down and kissed Thirteen savoring every taste and sensation that was coursing through both of them.

Thirteen smiled as Marissa's lips moved down her neck. She really liked Marissa's idea of not wasting time.


	12. Chapter 12

Thirteen woke up to warm, soft kisses on her bare shoulder. She smiled and rolled over in Marissa's arms.

"I turned off your alarm. I thought this is a nicer way to wake you up," Marissa said softly.

"Mmm," Thirteen rested her head on Marissa's shoulder, "Definitely."

Marissa leaned down and gently pressed her lips to Thirteen's. "Do you have time to go get breakfast before work?"

Thirteen nodded, "What time is your plasmapheresis?"

"Two," Marissa reached up and brushed some hair out of Thirteen's face, "You're so beautiful."

Thirteen smiled and kissed Marissa, "So are you."

Cameron was checking out a patient as House walked over to her. "Good morning, Dr. House." She said putting her stethoscope back around her neck. She scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to the man on the table, "These will help with the swelling. You should be over it in a few days."

The man nodded and walked out.

"Why did you call Thirteen and not me last night?" House asked, following her to the next patient.

"I didn't want to interrupt your poker game," Cameron stated, picking up the next patient's records.

"You could have called Kutner or Taub," House leaned on his cane.

"I think she's the best choice out of the three of them," Cameron went on. She looked at the patient. "How does that cast feel?"

The patient shrugged, "Weird."

She smiled, "That's normal. I'll be back in a minute." She pulled the curtain closed.

"Do you have a crush on Thirteen?" House asked, bluntly.

"I'm engaged," Cameron stated.

"That's not what I asked," House replied, "You're dodging the question which means it's true."

"Look," Cameron crossed her arms, "I think she's beautiful, she's brilliant, and she's compassionate. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Wow," House paused, "You know a simple yes or no would have worked."

"Yes," Cameron walked to the nurses' station, "But it's like the unfortunate crush I had on you and the one I had on the Backstreet Boys when I was ten."

Thirteen and Marissa walked out of the bakery grinning from ear to ear. Thirteen turned so she was standing in front of Marissa, "Thanks for breakfast."

"No problem," Marissa smiled.

Thirteen leaned in and kissed Marissa. When she pulled away, they were both smiling. "I'll see you at two."

"You know I was thinking maybe we could do lunch," Marissa offered.

"I have to stay at the hospital today," Thirteen replied, "I'm on call through lunch."

"Well we can eat in the hospital cafeteria," Marissa added hopefully.

"How romantic," Thirteen chuckled, "You, me, florescent lighting, and microwaved macaroni and cheese."

"All we need is the you and me part," Marissa slid her arms around Thirteen's waist.

"You're sweet," Thirteen kissed Marissa again. This time when the kiss was over they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

When House walked into the team's office, Kutner was pouring himself coffee, Taub was writing something, Thirteen was staring into her tea, and Foreman was reading the newspaper.

"You look unusually happy this morning," House commented to Thirteen, "Did you finally hook up with TTP girl?"

Thirteen raised an eyebrow, "Aren't we here about a patient?"

"Yes we are," Foreman said setting down the newspaper.

Kutner picked up the chart, "Enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, night sweats, red patched on skin, jaundice, coughing up blood, and fatigue."

House ignored him and looked at Thirteen, "Dr. Cameron has a crush on you. I'd be more interesting for me if you hooked up Cameron instead of TTP girl."

"You want me to start sleeping with people just to entertain you?" Thirteen asked.

"No," House paused, "Well, yeah, pretty much."

"Dr. Cameron's engaged," Foreman added.

"Making the tryst between Thirteen and Cameron so much more entertaining," House looked at Foreman.

"Could be Hodgkin's," Taub offered.

"Or TB," Kutner shrugged.

"Sarcoidosis," Thirteen stated.

House pointed to Kutner with his cane, "Do a Mantoux Test." He pointed to Taub, "Run a MRI, focus on lymph nodes and chest." Then to Thirteen, "X-Ray his chest, look for lesions on the lungs. If you need help, ask Dr. Cameron."

Thirteen rolled her eyes and followed Taub and Kutner out the door.


	13. Chapter 13

"Okay," Thirteen told the patient, "I need you to lay still, this will only take a minute." She adjusted the x-ray machine. She stepped behind the shield and pressed the button that started the machine.

The door behind the shield opened and Cameron stepped in. She walked over to Thirteen, "House said you needed help."

"Did you know your fiancée has a crush on one of my fellows?" House asked Chase.

"The cute one with the gorgeous blue eyes?" Chase asked looking at an x-ray in the light box room, "Yeah, she told me."

"Hmm," House paused, "That ruins my fun."

Chase smiled, "Good."

"I don't need help. It's just an x-ray," Thirteen smiled, "House is just trying to get us alone together."

Cameron blushed, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told him. I should have known that he'd make it into something huge."

"I understand," Thirteen nodded, "Cuddy took away his soaps."

Cameron laughed, "Then I'm glad I don't work for him anymore."

"Yeah, well I'm a dramatic gasp away from having a satellite put in his office," Thirteen commented taking the X-ray. She walked to the patient and moved the x-ray machine. Then she returned behind the shield.

"What do you think's wrong with him?" Cameron asked Thirteen, looking up from the patient's chart.

"Sarcoidosis," Thirteen replied.

Cameron nodded, "Okay."

"What do you think?" Thirteen asked.

"I think you're right," Cameron said closing the chart. "I'll see you later. I have to get back to work."

Thirteen smiled, "See you."

When Cameron walked out of the x-ray room, House came up behind her, "So is it x-ray suite now x-rated?"

"I have patients to see," Cameron kept walking, "I don't have time for you games."

House kept up with her, "But you jumped at the chance to help her."

Cameron stopped and turned to House, "You keep trying to make something out of nothing. Yes, I like her. I have a crush on her. She's sweet, she's funny, she's beautiful, but nothing's going to happen. I'm engaged."

Marissa walked in and glanced around, looking for Thirteen. She spotted House and some female doctor talking in the middle of the hallway. As she started to walk to them to ask where Thirteen was, she heard House start talking.

"Are you saying if something were to happen with you and Chase you'd get together with Thirteen?" House asked with a sly smirk.

Cameron was completely exasperated, "Yes! Fine! I'd totally make a move on Thirteen."

Marissa was completely shocked at the scene unfolding in front of her.

House, Cameron, and Marissa saw the x-ray room door open and a nurse wheeling the patient out with Thirteen right behind them. She looked from House to Cameron and sighed. "I'm going to go talk to Cuddy about your soaps," she told House.

She finally spotted Marissa and smiled, "Hey."

"Hey," Marissa smiled back.

Thirteen looked at her watch, "Is it lunchtime already?"

Marissa nodded.

Thirteen glanced at House, "I'll talk to Cuddy after lunch." With that she walked off with Marissa toward the cafeteria.

"Looks like you have some competition," House told Cameron.

Cameron shook her head at House before walking back to the emergency room.

House smiled his eerie smile when his plan was going just how he wanted it.

"What's good here?" Marissa asked Thirteen lightly.

Thirteen smiled, "Good tasting or good for you?"

"Both?" Marissa chuckled.

"As far as good tasting, everything's pretty good," Thirteen replied, "But good for you…well we'd have better luck at the vending machine's in the hallway."

They went through the line and got their food. The cafeteria was much more crowded than usual so they snagged the last empty table, which was for four.

"How was your morning?" Marissa asked, taking a bite of her chicken wrap.

Thirteen shrugged, "We got a new patient this morning. I'll know after lunch if my diagnosis is right. I'm just waiting on x-rays." She took a sip of her drink, "Who's doing your plasmapheresis?"

"Uh, Dr. Kutner," Marissa answered, "I think."

Thirteen nodded, "He's good." She spotted Chase and Cameron looking for somewhere to sit. She waved them over.

Chase nudged Cameron and pointed to the table Marissa and Thirteen were at. "You wanna go sit with your girlfriend?"

Cameron rolled her eyes and followed Chase to the table.

"Thanks," Chase smiled sat next to Marissa, "I've never seen this place so crowded."

Cameron gingerly sat between Chase and Thirteen.

A few minutes later, Chase, Marissa, and Thirteen were lost in conversation, while Cameron sat quietly. "And then he sat up and goes 'Ow my leg'" Chase finished a story.

Marissa and Thirteen laughed.

Suddenly, Thirteen's pager went off. She checked it and stood up, "I gotta go." She kissed the top of Marissa's head, "Call me later. Thanks for lunch." She ran off.

Then Cameron's pager went off. She checked her and sighed, "A bus crashed the emergency room's full." She leaned down and kissed Chase before running off.

"They do that all the time," Chase added to Marissa, finishing off his fiancée's fruit.

"Why don't you have to run off?" Marissa asked.

"I'm a surgeon," Chase smiled.

Marissa smiled, "Back, really? Is it as nasty as it looks on ER?"

"Fractured ribs," Thirteen called to the nurses as she checked out a patient in the seat full of gurneys, "Internal bleeding. I need an OR."

"I need an IV stat!" Taub called out from another patient.

"Concussion," Cameron went on, "Massive loss of blood. I need O positive."

"Head trauma," Kutner told one of the nurses, "Lacerations to the face, arms, and torso. Just clean him up and get him out."

The ER was complete chaos, flooded with people, gurneys and medical staff trying to sort through the bloody, broken mess.

* * *

Check out the poll on my profile page. The majority decides where this story goes...Marissa vs. Cameron.


	14. Chapter 14

Cameron walked into the doctor's lounge after the chaos was over and everyone was taken care of. She saw someone's head peeking out from the other side of the couch. She walked around the couch and found Thirteen leaning back on the couch. She was leaning on her elbow and her eyes were closed. Kutner was curled up on the other end of the couch, slightly snoring.

Cameron went over to the counter and took out a coffee mug. She poured herself some coffee and when she turned around Thirteen was standing up, stretching. She turned and saw Cameron. "Hey."

"Hey," Cameron smiled, "Do you want some coffee?"

"Please," Thirteen nodded. She yawned as she walked over to Cameron.

"That was insane huh?" Cameron asked pouring Thirteen's coffee.

"Yeah," Thirteen replied, "I've never worked a bus crash before. During my residency there was a twenty car pile up."

"Where was did you do your residency?" Cameron asked, opening up the cabinet and pulling out a box of cookies in the back.

"Bellevue," Thirteen answered, "In Manhattan."

"Wow," Cameron leaned back on the counter, "What a place to start."

Thirteen opened the refrigerator, "Yeah. I spent most of my time in the ER."

"You like working in the ER?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen smiled, "Yeah, but I get burnt out on it sometimes. The fast pace and the snap decisions get too much sometimes. That's why I like it here. I'm primarily doing diagnostics, but I get to help out in the ER." She glanced around the near empty refrigerator, "I'm gonna go get something from the vending machines. I'm starving since we had to run out on lunch. Do you want something?"

"Anything is good," Cameron shrugged.

"Okay," Thirteen walked to the door.

"Thanks," Cameron called.

As the second sandwich dropped out of the machine, House walked up behind Thirteen.

"Who's the other sandwich for?" House asked.

"Who says I'm not going to eat both of them?" Thirteen led the way back to the lounge.

When they stepped in House stopped by the door, "Oooh. It's for lover girl."

Kutner sat up on the couch and stretched.

Thirteen smirked, "No it's for Kutner." She tossed the sandwich to Kutner who caught it.

"Thanks," he said and opened it.

Thirteen called to Kutner, "Don't you have a plasmapheresis to get to?"

"Oh yeah," Kutner made his way to the door, "Thanks for the sandwich."

House's pager went off. He surveyed the room before leaving.

Thirteen smiled at Cameron who was close to laughing. She handed the second sandwich to the older doctor.

"You can have it," Cameron offered.

"No," Thirteen shook her head, "I sacrificed mine for the greater good of mankind."

"At least eat half of it," Cameron opened the sandwich and took half of it out, offering it to Thirteen.

Thirteen searched Cameron's face before taking it, "Thanks."

As Thirteen finished off her half, she checked her watch. "I have to go talk to Cuddy."

"About what?" Cameron asked, throwing the wrapper away.

"Getting House's soaps back," Thirteen replied, "He's getting annoying."

"He wasn't annoying before?" Cameron raised an eyebrow.

"Before he was annoying like a little puppy that chews up that ugly pair of heels in the back of your closet," Thirteen explained leading the way to Cuddy's office, "You know, you should tell him no, but he's probably doing you a favor so you won't ever wear them again." She knocked on the door and waited for Cuddy to call her in.

"C'min!" Cuddy's voice came through the door.

Thirteen opened the door and stepped in with Cameron behind her.

"Thirteen. Dr. Cameron. What do I owe the pleasure?" Cuddy looked up from her paperwork.

"Please give House his soaps back," Thirteen asked, "Without it, he tried to create all the drama he possibly can."

"He does that anyway," Cuddy replied.

"But it's worse than usual," Cameron added.

"If it's a money thing I'll pay for it," Thirteen offered.

Cuddy thought it over, "I'll think about it."

"Thank you," Thirteen told her and walked out behind Cameron. Once the door was closed she asked, "Do you think it worked?"

"I hope so," Cameron added, "Next thing you know, House will have us quarantined in the smallest isolation chamber we have."

"That would be horrible," Thirteen said, but quickly added noticing a sideways glance from Cameron, "Not that it would be horrible that I'd be stuck with you, just that we'd be stuck in general."

Cameron laughed, "Don't worry about it, I know what you mean."

Thirteen's pager went off. She stopped in the middle of the hallway and checked it. "I gotta run. I'll see you later."

Cameron nodded and watched the younger woman run off. After Thirteen was out of sight, Cameron shook herself out of a daze. Completely bewildered as to why Thirteen left her in a daze, she walked back to the ER thinking, _It's just a meaningless crush. It'll pass with time. Right?_

Thirteen checked her phone as she walked out into the cold night after her shift was over. There were two missed calls from Marissa. She smiled and pressed the send button.

"Hey," Marissa's cheery voice came over the line, "Did you just get off?"

"Yup," Thirteen replied, getting into her car, "Do you have any plans in the next hour?"

"None at all. I've been unpacking all day," Marissa said.

"You're stuff's already there?" Thirteen started her car and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

Marissa chuckled, "Yeah. It got here early this morning with I got the deed."

"You don't waste any time do you?" Thirteen smiled.

"Of course not," Marissa answered.

"Do you want to have dinner?" Thirteen asked, "I can come to the city and meet you somewhere."

"Sounds like fun," Marissa added, "But can Ryan come? He's been helping me move stuff around."

"Uh…sure," Thirteen replied, getting a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Great," Marissa said brightly, "How about you come over and we'll order in?"

"Sounds good," Thirteen stated, "Bye." She hung up.

After an hour of driving, Thirteen had convinced herself that Ryan wasn't a threat anymore. He has a pregnant wife for crying out loud. There was nothing to be worried about, but the voice in the back of her head wouldn't shut up. Thirteen had gotten good at ignoring the voice, especially while she was rock climbing on Menses Prow in Colorado when it was screaming _Are you insane?!. _So she decided to use her skill to ignore the voice now. She was just going to make the most of any and all time she had with Marissa.

She pulled to a stop outside Marissa's house and got out. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself as a strong gust of wind threatened the blow her away.

After she rang the doorbell, the door opened to show Marissa beaming. She pulled Thirteen inside, closed the door and then nailed Thirteen to it with a passionate kiss.

Thirteen smiled with Marissa pulled away, "Nice to see you too."

"I missed you," Marissa shrugged and quickly covered Thirteen's eyes. "I want you to tell me what you think of the living room."

"It's dark?" Thirteen smirked.

"No," Marissa giggled, "I mean, I'm going to lead you to the living room and I want you to tell me what you think."

"And it's a surprise because?" Thirteen asked, squeezing her eyes shut and letting Marissa lead her.

"Because I want it to be," Marissa smirked.

Thirteen felt Marissa stop and move around behind her. "Okay, open your eyes."

Thirteen slowly opened her eyes and looked around. There were two perpendicular light brown leather couches facing a fireplace and over the fireplace hung a flat screen TV that was on. The coffee table was a darker brown than the couches and various photographs of nature adorned the walls.

"Ignore the goon on the couch," Marissa smiled.

Ryan was laying on one of the couches watching TV. He looked over and smiled, "Hey Alex."

"Hey," Thirteen replied.

"So?" Marissa asked Thirteen.

"I love it," Thirteen told her, "It's cozy."

"Great," Marissa beamed at Thirteen's approval, "Do you want something to drink? I have tea, water, coffee, cocoa, soda…"

"Water's fine," Thirteen nodded.

Marissa quickly kissed her, "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back."

Thirteen sat on the couch across from Ryan and turned to the basketball game he was watching, "Where's Sadie?"

"She's shopping with her mom," Ryan answered, "How was work?"

"It was… interesting," Thirteen shrugged.

"I can't imagine it being dull with that boss of yours," Ryan looked at Thirteen.

"Yeah," Thirteen smiled, "There's never a dull moment."

Marissa walked back in with two glasses of water. She handed one to Thirteen and sat next to her. A comfortable silence fell over the group as they watched TV until the food arrived. When it did, they ate in relative silence.

Around eight, Ryan stood up and stretched, "I'll see you two later."

"Bye," Marissa waved not moving from her very comfortable position which was curled up on the couch with Thirteen's arms around her.

The front door opened and closed before Marissa turned in Thirteen's arms. She looked into her bright blue eyes and smiled.

"What?" Thirteen asked with a curious smile.

"I'm glad you're here," Marissa confessed. She softly brought her lips to Thirteen's letting their lips get into a mutual rhythm before pulling away.

"You know what you didn't give me a tour of?" Thirteen's curious smile turned into a sly smirk.

Marissa raised an eyebrow, knowing where this was going, but wanting to play a lot, "What?"

Thirteen chuckled, "I know that look in your eye and you know exactly what I'm talking about."

Marissa rolled off the couch onto her feet and offered her hand to Thirteen. Thirteen took it and Marissa helped her up. "On the right we have the kitchen," Marissa smiled and started walking toward the stairs, "On the left are the windows over looking the backyard. Almost twenty whole square feet of grass."

Thirteen chuckled as the tour continued up the stairs.

"On the right is a closet," Marissa walked backwards holding both of Thirteen's hands, "It's empty now, but Fifth Avenue is only a taxi ride away." She pause for a laugh from Thirteen before continuing. "On the left is a wall."

At the end of the hallway, they stopped in front of a closed door. Marissa just stood looking at Thirteen.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow.

"I'm building suspense," Marissa smiled, "For the grand finale."

Thirteen grinned from ear to ear, waiting patiently.

Marissa finally opened the door. There was a huge canopy bed on the opposite wall with massive columns holding up the white mesh that swirled down the side.

"This is my bedroom," Marissa pulled Thirteen in, "It's closed to anyone who doesn't go by a two digit odd number between ten and twenty at work and me of course."

"Hmm," Thirteen smiled, "Good news for my friends fifteen and seventeen."

"What about eleven?" Marissa scooted back so that her legs were touching the edge of the bed. She pulled Thirteen's body flush to her own and kissed her.

Thirteen added, "We don't talk to eleven anymore."

Marissa chuckled even as Thirteen lowered her onto the bed. Thirteen started pulling at Marissa's shirt. Marissa moved to that Thirteen could slip it over her head before laying back down. Thirteen held herself over Marissa, kissing and touching every inch of exposed skin before revealing more inch by inch.

When they finished with their 'grand finale', they curled up together and drifted off to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Thirteen walked into the team office and looked around, "Where's House?"

Kutner shrugged, "Nice shirt. I like what you've done with your hair too."

Taub rolled his eyes, "He told us that we should hit on you when you got here, then he left."

"Hit on me?" Thirteen raised her eyebrows.

"We weren't supposed to tell you either," Kutner added, "But I really do like your hair today."

"Thank you," Thirteen told Kutner. She noticed the blue folder on the table. "We might as well get to it. No telling when House is going to get here. All My Children starts in thirty minutes."

She flipped it open, "Holy crap."

"What?" Kutner asked.

She handed him the folder.

"Whoa," Kutner read over the file.

Taub read it over, "That's…a lot."

"We need a bigger white board," Thirteen bit her lip. She picked up a marker and started writing down the symptoms.

"I'll go see if I can find another one," Kutner offered and left.

Kutner studied the symptoms Thirteen was writing down. "We need more tests."

Thirteen nodded, "We need blood tests, full body MRI, and x-rays. Ask him about his behaviors in the last few days, if anything's changed."

"He's in a coma," Taub stood up.

Thirteen added that to the list, "Okay."

Taub walked out, "I'm going to start with the MRI."

Thirteen resumed writing on the whiteboard. When Kutner returned with another two white boards, he lined them up with the one Thirteen was writing on.

"Taub is off running tests," Thirteen added, "Maybe you should go help him. Call me if you can find a way to link everything together."

"Okay," Kutner nodded and walked off.

The whole time, none of them noticed the tiny webcam with a green light on sitting on top of the bookcase in the corner.

Thirteen moved to the file again and moved her finger down the page. She picked up the phone on the desk and dialed, "I need Dr. Cameron to diagnostics when she gets a chance. Thank you."

Thirteen wrote everything down on the three boards and sat on the table, staring at them.

The door silently opened a few minutes later, but Thirteen didn't hear it. Her eyes were locked with the board.

"That's a lot of symptoms," Cameron offered.

Thirteen finally looked at her. "Oh sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

"It's okay," Cameron nodded, "The nurse at the ER said you wanted to see me."

Thirteen nodded, "Yeah." She picked up the chart behind her and handed it to Cameron, "This says you treated him in the ER when he came in a few days ago. Did you give him anything that's not listed on here?"

Cameron went over the list, "I don't think so, but I can't be sure. I've seen over fifteen hundred patients this week." She handed Thirteen the chart back.

Thirteen stared at the board and tapped the chart to her cheek. "Do you see anything in all that mess?"

Cameron looked at the board and shook her head. "It could be Hyperparathyroidism."

Thirteen walked over to the board and circled a number of symptoms. "Hyperparathyroidism explains these."

"So it's something else?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen moved the boards around, starting to erase and rewrite everything. "No. It's Hyperparathyroidism.

"But there's more symptoms," Cameron added.

Just then the door opened and Kutner came flying in, "You have to see this."

Both female doctors followed Kutner to the MRI room. One the screen was a picture of the patient. There white masses sporadically placed throughout his body.

"Oh my God," Cameron breathed.

"There's five tumors in his stomach and intestines," Taub added.

"Get those to Wilson," Thirteen stated and ran out, "Find out if they're malignant or benign."

Cameron and Kutner followed her back to the diagnostic room.

"Add the tumors and what do you get?" Thirteen asked writing down the kinds of tumors the patient had.

"Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome," Kutner stated.

Thirteen wrote that on top of one board and underlined it then wrote 'Hyperparathyroidism' on the other board.

"Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia," Thirteen stepped away from the boards, "Type 1. It explains the Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome and the Hyperparathyroidism."

"He needs radiation treatment," Kutner said and walked out.

Thirteen sat on the table.

"You're good," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen smiled, "I had help."

"Are you hungry?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen noticed for the first time today that she was in fact starving. Then she looked at her watch, "It's already one."

"I guess you've been staring at the symptoms for some time," Cameron shrugged, "Let's go grab something to eat."

Just then House burst into the door. "Anything new?" Taub and Kutner were close behind.

Thirteen shrugged, "Not anymore."

House walked over to the bookcase and took the webcam down, "I guess none of you noticed the my little spy."

They all look bewildered.

"Why was that there?" Thirteen asked.

"Cuddy still hasn't given my soaps back," House explained, "I needed another form of entertainment."

"So you put it there in hopes that…" Thirteen trailed off.

"You two," he pointed between Thirteen and Cameron with his cane, "Would have sex on the table. But you didn't." He turned to Kutner and Taub, "I also saw that Thirteen is the alpha dog when I leave and you two can't follow directions."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Thirteen asked.

"It means that you're next in line to replace Foreman," House said, "Now all I have to do is find a way to get rid of him."

Thirteen looked at Cameron and they walked out of the room together.

They walked to a little café across the street from the hospital.

"I think he likes you," Cameron commented.

"Who?" Thirteen asked.

"House," Cameron smiled, "He keeps messing with you. That's how he shows affection."

Thirteen chuckled, "A guy hasn't showed he liked me like that since third grade."

Cameron laughed, "House is just a big third grader with a genius medical mind."

"Yeah," Thirteen nodded. She took a bite of her salad.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" Cameron asked.

"Originally?" Thirteen asked, "LA."

"Really?" Cameron leaned her elbows, "How did you end up in New Jersey?"

"After my mom died I went to Med school at Harvard, so I started out in Cambridge," Thirteen offered, "Then I already told you that I did my residence in Manhattan. I'd been reading about House and how brilliant he is so when I heard about the fellowship here I just at it."

"And your mom died of Huntington's?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen nodded.

"I'm sorry," Cameron added genuinely.

"Me too," Thirteen nodded, looking down at her empty plate.

Cameron reached across the table and took Thirteen's hand, trying to offer as much comfort as she could give. Thirteen looked up at Cameron and their eyes locked.

Thirteen's cell phone went off interrupting the moment. Cameron retracted her hand and Thirteen dug her phone out of her pocket. "Hello?…Hey Riss." Thirteen smiled, looking out the window. Cameron watched her chuckle then added, "Of course…Mmm, yeah…sounds fun….bye." She hung up.

Thirteen looked at Cameron, "Sorry about that."

"It's no problem," Cameron faked a smile, "Hot date?"

Thirteen nodded, "Yeah."

"TTP girl?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen chuckled, "She has a name."

"Since I've only heard her referred to as TTP girl, I have no clue what her name is," Cameron stood.

Thirteen stood with her, "Her name's Marissa."

"Okay," Cameron nodded. She held the door open for Thirteen who walked out into the freezing cold.

The wind blew so hard it knocked Thirteen into Cameron. "Sorry," Thirteen mumbled as she felt Cameron's hands hold onto her waist.

"It's okay," Cameron smiled.

They walked back to the hospital together and parted ways just inside the door.

"How was lunch with your secret lover?" House asked Thirteen as she put on her lab coat.

"She's not my secret lover," Thirteen answered straightening out her collar.

"So you say," House sat in his chair next to the table, "She wouldn't be your secret lover if you told anyone because it wouldn't be a secret anymore. We understand why you deny it."

Thirteen rolled her eyes. "Do you want me to go beg Cuddy for you soaps again?"

House nodded, "That'd be nice."

Thirteen walked straight to Cuddy's office and knocked. She paused then opened the door. Cuddy looked up when Thirteen closed the door.

"Back on behalf of House?" Cuddy asked.

"No. I'm here on behalf of myself," Thirteen replied, "He's not going to stop pushing me and Cameron together until he gets his soaps back or he actually gets us together."

Cuddy paused, "Why don't you give him what he wants?"

"I'm trying, but you won't…" Thirteen started, but Cuddy cut her off.

"No," Cuddy said, "Get him to think you and Cameron are together then break up. That way, House gets what he wants, he gets off your back, and I get to keep his soaps away from him."

Thirteen thought and crossed her arms, "You're not giving in on this soaps are you?"

"No way," Cuddy stated, "This time I have something over him when he doesn't have anything over me."

"I'll talk to Cameron," Thirteen added before walking out the door of Cuddy's office.

Thirteen hoped that Cuddy's plan would work. And she hoped it would go off without a hitch. She also knew she couldn't keep it from Marissa so she hoped that Marissa would be okay with it.

"So you want to make out with that doctor who has a huge crush on you so that House will get off your ass about getting together with her?" Marissa asked over the phone.

"That's pretty much it," Thirteen nodded.

There was a short paused before Marissa added, "Okay, but I want to meet with her first."

"Um…okay," Thirteen replied.

"Take her back to your apartment tonight," Marissa stated, "And I'll meet you there so we all can talk."

"Alright," Thirteen replied, "I'll see you at…"

"Six," Marissa added.

Thirteen smiled, "Okay. I'll see you at six." Thirteen hung up. She set her phone down and twirled it a few times. The door to the diagnostic team's office opened and Cameron stepped in.

"So?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron smiled, "He's completely okay with it. I just want to be one of the ones to walk in and find us."

Thirteen raised an eyebrow.

"I know, he's a perv," Cameron chuckled, "But he's a guy."

"That explains it all," Thirteen smiled.

"What about Marissa?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen nodded, "She wants me to take you to my apartment after work so she can talk to you."

"Talk to me?" Cameron leaned on the table next to Thirteen.

"Yes just talk," Thirteen stated, "I'm pretty sure she won't take a swing and she won't bite you."

"I'm sure she saves the biting for you," Cameron smirked.

Thirteen's mouth dropped open and she was speechless.

Cameron laughed, "I was just kidding."

"Yeah," Thirteen nodded, "Anyway, I'll meet you after work and we'll go to my apartment."

"Alright," Cameron stood up straight, "I'll see you then."

Thirteen watched Cameron walk out the door. Tonight was definitely going to be interesting.


	16. Chapter 16

Thirteen tossed her keys onto the table by her front door. "Make yourself at home," Thirteen told Cameron.

Cameron looked around, "Nice place."

"Thanks," Thirteen took Cameron's coat and put it on the coat rack by the door, "Do you want something to drink? I have tea, water, juice, wine..."

"Water's fine," Cameron nodded.

"Well, um, make yourself at home," Thirteen added and walked off toward what Cameron assumed was the kitchen.

Cameron sat on the couch and found it rather comfortable. She noticed a picture on the end table. The woman in the picture had Thirteen's eyes so she assumed it was her mother. She picked it up and studied the picture.

Thirteen sat next to Cameron bringing her back to reality.

"Oh sorry," Cameron apologized, "Is this your mother?"

Thirteen nodded and wistfully smiled.

"You've got her eyes," Cameron mentioned, putting the picture back then taking her water from Thirteen.

"Thank you," Thirteen leaned back on the couch and picked up the remote. Thirteen pressed a button and Cameron looked at the TV expectantly, but the stereo came on instead. They sat silent listening to the music in silence for a while.

_I drive this ocean road  
And remember  
How the girls could turn to ghosts before your eyes  
And the very dreams that led to them are keeping them from dying  
And how the grace with which she walked into your life  
And stay with you in your steps , pace with you a while  
For so long, so long_

Cameron looked over at Thirteen who looked far off. "Are you okay?"

Thirteen was brought back to the living room when Cameron spoke, "Sorry. This song brings back a lot of memories."

"Lost love?" Cameron softly prodded.

Thirteen nodded, "Lost, then found."

"Marissa?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen smiled softly, "Yup."

"What happened between you two?" Cameron turned to face Thirteen, then quickly added, "If you wanna tell me. I don't mean to pry."

"It's okay," Thirteen bit her lip, "When I was sixteen my parents kicked me out and I got emancipated. I moved to Newport when I was seventeen after I broke up with the reason my parents kicked me out. I was working at a club that was frequented by the local high school students, one of which was Marissa. We hit it off, she moved in with me and that's when it all started to fall apart. In the end she left me for Ryan."

"Was Ryan tall, brooding with dirty blonde hair and a pregnant wife?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen nodded, "How did you know?"

"He was the first one to the emergency room after the cab driver dropped her off," Cameron stated.

Thirteen nodded, "Yeah anyway so after that I went back to LA. I reconciled with my parents who apologized for months. Then my mom got sick."

Cameron nodded.

Thirteen laid her head back on the couch and yawned. "Sorry, long day."

"I'm sure that solving a case by yourself that usually takes a whole team two days is tiring," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen chuckled, "If House was there he would have figured it out the second he saw it."

"Well he does have twenty years on you," Cameron replied.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

Thirteen got up and answered it. Marissa was standing on the other side with two bags full of Styrofoam containers in her hand. She leaned in and kissed Thirteen, "I brought dinner."

Thirteen immediately smiled and took one of the bags from her, "Thanks." She moved so that Marissa could step in then closed the door behind her.

Marissa saw Cameron and looked her over.

"Uh, Riss this is Allison Cameron," Thirteen introduced them, "And this is Marissa Cooper."

They nodded to each other then Marissa put the food down on the coffee table. "I hope you like Mexican food," Marissa commented to Cameron.

"I love it," Cameron replied.

They all sat around the table and spread out the food.

"I have a great wine that would go with…" Thirteen started as she stood, but added, "Never mind."

"It's okay," Marissa smiled, "Go ahead."

"Are you sure?" Thirteen asked.

"Yeah," Marissa nodded.

When Thirteen walked off to the kitchen, Marissa looked at Cameron who was looking at her.

"AA," Marissa simply said.

"Oh," Cameron nodded.

Thirteen returned with two wine glasses, a bottle of wine, and a bottle of sparkling water. Thirteen sat next to Marissa then poured the Riesling for herself and Cameron.

"What do you do at the hospital?" Marissa asked Cameron as they started eating.

"I work in the ER," Cameron replied.

"How do you know Dr. House?" Marissa asked.

"I used to work for him as a fellow," Cameron explained.

Thirteen added, "Like I do now."

Marissa took a bite of her nachos. "Cool."

"What brings you to the East coast?" Cameron asked Marissa.

"I asked for a transfer to the New York office," Marissa replied, "But mostly it was just her." She poked Thirteen's arm.

Thirteen smiled at Marissa then shared a brief kiss.

"So this plan," Marissa brought up the subject, "How's it going to go?"

"Well," Thirteen started, "We're going to get _caught_ somewhere."

"Caught making out in the supply closet?" Marissa asked.

Thirteen looked over at Cameron.

Cameron shrugged, "That sounds convincing."

"Who's going to look in the supply closet to find you?" Marissa asked, "You need someone who knows what's going on to find you with someone who doesn't so you're not standing in the supply closet all day, while people on the outside are dying."

Thirteen smiled at Marissa, then looked at Cameron, "What about Dr. Chase?"

"Yeah," Cameron nodded, "He already said he wanted to find us. You'll just have to give him a signal that you're going to meet me."

"Cool," Thirteen replied, "I think we have it down."

"One more thing," Marissa looked at Cameron, "I don't mean to sound possessive, but watch your hands. Don't touch anything that a bikini covers."

Thirteen chuckled while Cameron nodded in agreement.

"You're cute," Thirteen smiled at Marissa.

Marissa blushed a little and bowed her head.

Cameron checked her watch, "I should get going. Thanks for dinner."

Thirteen's eyes moved from Cameron to her half drunken glass of wine, "You okay to drive?"

"Yeah," Cameron nodded, "It takes more than half a glass of wine to impair me."

Thirteen stood and walked Cameron to the door, "Be careful."

Cameron smiled, "Either way I'll be in the ER tomorrow morning."

"Bye," Thirteen smiled back and closed the door behind Cameron.

"She's nice," Marissa commented.

Thirteen sauntered over to the couch and let herself fall facedown. After she felt the soft cushions hit her body, she opened her eyes to see Marissa was watching her.

"I'm beat," Thirteen confessed.

"Me too," Marissa replied. She crawled over and sat next to the couch by Thirteen's head.

"I might fall asleep right here," Thirteen smiled. She reached out and took Marissa's hand, lacing their fingers together."

Marissa smiled, "No you won't."

"How do you know?" Thirteen asked.

Marissa slowly stood up, breaking their contact. She pulled her shirt over her head and slid her jeans to the floor.

Thirteen's eyes traveled from her eyelevel which was Marissa's knee level upward. Her mouth was slightly open and her breathing was getting ragged.

Marissa walked into the bedroom and there was no noise for a moment. Then something flew out of the room and landed on the floor next to the couch. Thirteen picked it up then smiled. She rolled off the couch and tossed Marissa's bra onto the couch as she walked with purpose into her bedroom.


	17. Chapter 17

They'd decided that Thirteen would be the one to initiate the plan. She decided that the best time to do it would be toward the end of their shift.

Thirteen shifted in her chair and looked at the clock. She took a deep breath. It was now or never. She stood and walked over to the tissue box on one of the shelves. She reached inside and wasn't surprised to find it empty.

"We're out of tissues," Thirteen told Taub and Kutner who were sitting at the table studying a chart. Neither one paid her much attention as she walked out the door.

As she walked toward the supply closet, she saw Chase talking to a nurse at one of the nurse's stations. He looked over at her and she barely nodded to him. He wouldn't have noticed it if he wasn't looking for it.

Thirteen turned the corner and stopped in front of the supply closet. She looked down the hallway to make sure no one was looking before slipping inside. Once inside, she paged Cameron with her cell phone, then sat on a box to wait.

Her heart was racing. Even though she had Marissa's approval it still felt like she was getting ready to cheat. It didn't sit well with her.

When the door opened, Thirteen shot to her feel. Cameron closed the door behind herself and took a long, deep breath while her eyes were locked with Thirteen's.

House walked into the office and walked around, "Weren't there three of you when I left?"

"She said we were out of tissues then she left," Kutner answered.

House walked over to the cabinet and opened it, revealing many boxes of tissues stacked neatly. After a brief pause, House walked out of the office and down the hallway. On the way to his destination, he saw Chase and called him over.

Chase started walking with him, "What?"

"I'm torn on if I should show you this," House explained, "On one hand, it might emotionally shatter you, making you unhappy causing my giddy delight, but on the other hand, it could possibly one of the hottest things you've ever seen, making you happy. But I'll still be happy then too because I saw it."

"What are you talking about?" Chase asked.

Neither woman said anything. Cameron took a few steps toward Thirteen before nailing her against the shelves in a searing kiss.

They pushed each other's lab coats off then Thirteen's hands took over and slid around Cameron's waist.

Cameron surrendered control from her mind to her body. Her lips trailed down Thirteen's slender neck and she felt the younger woman inhale deeply then hold her breath beneath her. Cameron came back up to Thirteen's soft lips and leaned into them.

Thirteen's hands seemed beyond her control and they pushed up Cameron's shirt, feeling the soft skin of Cameron's stomach underneath.

"Oh my God," House said from the now open doorway.

Thirteen and Cameron jumped away from each other, breathing heavily.

Chase turned on his heel and walked out. Cameron followed him immediately.

Thirteen was left alone with House. House slowly smiled. He grabbed a box of tissues off of the shelf and offered them to her, "I believe these are what you were looking for before Cameron's lips got in the way."

Thirteen grabbed her and Cameron's lab coats off of the ground and brushed past House on her way out.

Once they were outside and no one was around, Chase stopped walking. Cameron walked to the other side of him to see his face. She saw that he was smiling.

"You were enjoying that," Chase told her.

"Shut up," Cameron huffed, "And apparently you were too."

Chase wrapped his arms around her, "Do you think it worked? Because if it didn't, I wouldn't object to you doing that again."

Thirteen sat in the office waiting for the inevitable return of House. Taub and Kutner couldn't figure out why she looked upset and didn't ask.

Thirteen tapped the pen in her hand on the table. She didn't know if she felt guiltier for making out with Cameron or for actually enjoying it.

Thirteen held her breath when she heard the door open. House walked in with a smug smile on his face. Thirteen kept her eyes on the file in front of her. She waited for him to say something.

House walked over to the white board and wrote down some symptoms.

"ALS," Kutner said as soon as House was done.

"That doesn't explain the hallucinations," Taub told him.

Everyone was quiet for a second before House looked at Thirteen and spoke, "Any input Jezebel?"

Thirteen's eyes shot up to meet House's.

"He was hallucinating because of his severe dehydration and lack of food," Thirteen added, "He couldn't keep anything down. Now that he has an IV, the hallucinations have stopped."

House erased the hallucinations from the board.

"He's got jaundice so his liver is failing," Thirteen added, "We should test for Hepatitis."

"I like Casanova's idea," House said, "Minion one and minion two go run the blood tests for Hepatitis. Don Juan, find Foreman and run the patient through the MRI. Check major organ functions."

All three doctors got up and left to do their various tests.

When she got home, Thirteen fell back on her couch and pulled the blanket on the back of the couch over herself. She couldn't get that whole scene with Cameron out of her head. There was something about the way she kissed that made it unforgettable.

She still felt guilty for enjoying it like she did. She used to think a kiss was just a kiss, but between Marissa and Cameron a kiss could challenge everything she thought was true.

Thirteen sighed and closed her eyes wishing that she was in Marissa's arms before slowly drifting off to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Her phone ringing awakened her a few hours later. Thirteen dug it out of her pocket and groggily answered, "Hello?"

"Hey," Marissa's voice came replied, "Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah," Thirteen answered, "But I needed to get up anyway."

"I was going to call earlier, but I got tied up at my new office," Marissa added, "How'd it go today?"

"It went fine," Thirteen sat up and rubbed her eyes, "House totally bought it."

"Good," Marissa said, "I know it's kind of late, but I wanted to see you."

Thirteen glanced at the clock. "Do you want to meet for coffee?"

"Sure, but I'll be at the coffee shop by the hospital in twenty minutes," Marissa said.

"Twenty?" Thirteen asked, "Are you taking a helicopter?"

"No," Marissa chuckled, "I was already kinda on my way."

"Okay," Thirteen smiled, "I'll meet you there."

"Bye," Marissa added.

Thirteen replied, "Bye," then hung up.

Twenty-two minutes later, Thirteen was staring at her coffee waiting patiently for Marissa in the near empty coffee shop. She looked out the window next to her and saw Marissa walking across the street. An immediate smile adorned her face.

She looked over at the man behind the counter who was reading the newspaper. "Can I get a mocha, please?"

He nodded and went off to making the drink.

When Marissa walked in, she spotted Thirteen and walked over. "Hey."

Thirteen stood up as she got closer and pulled her into a quick, but passionate kiss. They broke away with matching smiles.

"Hey back," Thirteen sat down.

Marissa put her purse on the table. "That just made the hour long drive here more than worth it."

The man who worked there set a cup of coffee in front of Marissa. "Can I get you ladies anything else?"

Thirteen picked up the small menu that was on the end of the table, "Can I get uh…slice of chocolate cheesecake?"

He nodded.

"Do you want anything?" Thirteen asked.

Marissa shook her head, "No thanks."

The man walked off to the back to get Thirteen's food.

"How was work?" Thirteen asked Marissa.

Marissa shrugged, "It was alright I guess. My boss gave me a new project to work on as soon as I walked in. Then the copier stopped working so I had to run down the street to make copies."

"Sounds fun," Thirteen smiled.

"Oh yeah," Marissa smiled back, "So much."

The man brought by the cheesecake and left the check on the table. Marissa reached for it, but Thirteen snatched it away.

"I don't think so," Thirteen said and put the ticket in her pocket, "You didn't drive all the way down here just to pay for a mocha."

"I was actually planning to mooch some cheesecake," Marissa smiled.

Thirteen chuckled and handed Marissa the fork. After Marissa took a bite, she handed the fork back.

"Summer and Seth's wedding is next week," Marissa mentioned.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Thirteen answered taking another bite of the cheesecake.

"What are you going to wear?" Marissa asked.

Thirteen shrugged, "I have no idea."

"Do you want me to pick you something up?" Marissa offered, "Then you could come to my apartment before the wedding and get ready."

"Sounds like fun," Thirteen leaned over the small table and gave Marissa a quick kiss.

Marissa snaked her hand across the table and started rubbed her thumb over Thirteen's knuckles. Thirteen just smiled at her as a tingle ran down her spine.

"My mom's going to be there," Marissa told Thirteen.

"Uh oh," Thirteen smiled.

"She still kind of freaked that I'm dating a woman, but she likes that you're a doctor," Marissa said quietly, "Plus you saved my life."

"I'm sure we'll get along fine," Thirteen gave her a reassuring smile.

The door opened, but neither woman paid much attention to it until they heard the voice that was ordering, "Regular coffee."

Thirteen laid her head on the table and groaned, "Oh God."

House paid for his coffee and turned around. He smiled devilishly when he saw Thirteen and Marissa.

"Hefner!" he called and walked over to them.

"House," Thirteen picked up her head.

"You'll have to excuse us Dr. House. We're late," Marissa stood and pulled Thirteen up with her.

"Did you tell her?" House asked as Marissa pulled Thirteen past him.

Marissa paused and put on her best confused face, "Tell me what?"

Thirteen looked from House to Marissa, "I…um…"

"Good luck," House smiled and walked out of the small café.

Once he was out of sight, Thirteen smiled at Marissa, "You're good."

"So are you," Marissa smiled back, "Let's go for a walk."

"Are you going to stay over tonight?" Thirteen asked.

"I dunno. I have to be at work early tomorrow," Marissa replied as they walked down the sidewalk in the cold.

"If I beg will you stay?" Thirteen smiled.

Marissa giggled, "I'll stay."

Thirteen slid her hand into Marissa's as they continued to work, "You can wear some of my clothes to work tomorrow."

They walked in silence for a little while. They got to a park and walked around the trail through it. Marissa finally broke the silence, "What exactly happened today?"

"You mean the plan?" Thirteen asked, knowing and dreading what Marissa was asking.

"Yeah," Marissa nodded.

"I signaled Chase," Thirteen explained, "I went to the supply closet, then paged Cameron. We kissed until House and Chase found us."

"How long did it take for them to find you?" Marissa asked.

"Maybe two minutes tops," Thirteen answered.

Marissa took a long deep breath, "Did she follow my bikini rule?"

Thirteen couldn't squash a smile, "Yes."

"So everything went as planned?" Marissa asked.

"Yes," Thirteen smiled, "Except House keeps calling me Jezebel, Casanova, Don Juan, and Hefner."

Marissa laughed, "He's funny. In his own twisted way."

"Until you're with him everyday of the week," Thirteen replied.

They finally decided to head to Thirteen's apartment. Once inside, they changed into what they usually slept in together and went to bed.

Marissa trailed her finger down Thirteen's bare back. She smiled at the goose bumps that appeared in her wake. She looked up into Thirteen's beautiful blue eyes. Marissa leaned down and kissed the beautiful doctor.

Thirteen's day didn't start out too well. She woke up to a cold bed that was empty except for a note from Marissa explaining that she really did have to leave early. Thirteen had a headache as soon as she sat up and everything went downhill from there.

"Did you really make out with Cameron in the supply closet?" Kutner asked Thirteen the second she walked in the next morning.

Thirteen just raised an eyebrow in response.

"The whole hospital knows," Taub added.

Thirteen sighed. She knew this could happen and probably would happen. And she was pretty sure who was spreading the rumors too. She was surprised he hadn't resorted to flyers yet.

When House walked in, he was eerily quiet. Sensing that House wasn't going to speak anytime soon Taub spoke up, "The patient doesn't have Hepatitis."

Kutner scanned the notes and his eyebrows furrowed, "He got back from Siberia in September."

"So I could be Opisthorchiasis," Thirteen offered.

"It explains everything," Taub agreed.

"Give him the dose of Praziquantel and send him home," House finally spoke, "After that Cuddy wants everyone in the ER. I'm going to be in my office with the door locked so she can't tell me I have to go too." With that he walked into his office.

They three doctors looked questioningly at each other before walking out.

"I'll give the patient the Praziquantel," Thirteen stated. The tone of her voice left no room for argument.

"Avoiding Dr. Cameron?" Kutner asked with a goofy smile on his face.

Thirteen rolled her eyes and walked in the opposite direction from the men.

After she gave the patient his shot, she went to the doctor's lounge. She didn't really feel like working in the ER today. It wasn't her job, why should she have to?

Thirteen scrunched up her nose. She was starting to sound like House. In her head anyway. She grabbed the remote a flipped on the TV. There was a baseball game on so she left it and she went to brew some coffee.

She leaned on the counter and closed her eyes. Her head felt like there was a fog in it. If she had any other symptoms she's diagnose herself with a cold, but it was just the fog in her head. It wouldn't take long for the fog to turn into a headache. Thirteen figured if she laid down for a few minutes then she'd be okay.

She took off her lab coat and laid in on the couch in front of the TV. The door opened a few minutes later and two voice came in.

"Yeah well moaning her name while you were dreaming isn't my idea of nothing," a very Australian male voice said.

"Dreams don't mean anything," a very familiar blonde's voice retorted, "And if we're going there, you moaning Jennifer all night long should count against you."

Thirteen's eye widened and she tried to bury herself in the couch cushions, but to no avail. She really didn't want to be there at that moment.

"I'm sorry," Chase said sarcastically, "But I'm not the one who hatched a plan to make out with a girl your in love with. I didn't make out with Jennifer Aniston yesterday in the supply closet."

"Number one it wasn't _my_ plan," Cameron stated, "number two I'm not in love with her."

Thirteen decided to make her presence known before any of this went on. She put her head under a pillow. She spoke into it so that her words were muffled, but clear, "I'm trying to sleep here." Truth be told, she really did want to go to sleep and Cameron and Chase's conversation _was_ keeping her awake.

"Were you listening the whole time?" Chase asked.

Thirteen squeezed her eyes shut, "I've been trying to ignore you the whole time because like I said, I'm trying to sleep." She rolled over onto her stomach and covered her head with a pillow.

One set of footsteps made their way out the door followed by the door closing.

"Sorry," came a quiet voice from behind the couch.

"It's okay," Thirteen mumbled into the cushion.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked from a lot closer.

"Just a headache," Thirteen turned her head facing the TV, but didn't open her eyes.

She felt a cool, soft hand on her forehead. "You're burning up."

"That's not very scientific," Thirteen smiled despite her upcoming headache.

"You have a fever," Cameron stated taking her hand back, "Maybe you should go home."

"Good idea," Thirteen murmured, "Go find a burly man to carry me home."

Cameron chuckled, "If you can wait in here until lunch, I'll take you home."

Thirteen thought it over. She really wanted to go home, but that action may cause a bigger riff between Chase and Cameron. But she really, really wanted to go home. The pounding in her head finally got the best of her and she answered, "Thank you."

Cameron set a bottle of water on the end table by the couch, "Try to drink that."

"Yes doctor," Thirteen snuggled into the back of the couch.

Cameron smiled and left Thirteen to try to get some sleep.

Thirteen was awakened from a rather strange dream by a poke to her arm. Then another one. She finally opened her eyes to see House poking her with his cane.

"You're supposed to be in the ER," House stated.

"I'm sick," Thirteen closed her eyes again.

"Then you're supposed to be home," House replied.

Thirteen moved around a little, "Cameron's taking me home at lunch." She regretted those words as soon as they left her mouth.

"Are you sure she's not taking you home _for_ lunch?" House went to the coffee maker and poured himself some.

"Nope," Thirteen started to get cold so she grabbed her lab coat from the back of the couch and draped it over herself.

The door opened and Cameron walked in wearing jeans and a sweater.

House looked at her, "You're early."

"What?" Cameron asked.

"It's not lunch time yet," House stated.

Cameron looked at her watch, "It is in five minutes."

"Someone could die in five minutes," House said.

Thirteen stood on wobbly legs and grabbed onto the couch for support. She said, "Shut up," and she walked over to Cameron. She got her keys out of her pocket and handed them to Cameron.

House opened his mouth, but Thirteen pointed at him, "No."

Cameron smiled at House before walking out with Thirteen.

Once they were at Thirteen's apartment, Cameron walked her up the stairs just in case her legs gave out. Thirteen rested her forehead on her front door while Cameron unlocked it.

Once inside, Thirteen stripped as she walked toward her bedroom, leaving her shoes, socks, pants, and shirt strewn between the front door and the door of her bedroom.

Cameron looked in the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. Then stopped by the bathroom for a wet washcloth. She made her way to Thirteen's bedroom to find the other woman curled under her covers.

"You really should take the blanket off," Cameron stated.

Thirteen peeked out from under them, "But I'm cold."

"I know. You're body's raising it's temperature to…" Cameron started to explain.

Thirteen cut her off, "I went to Med school too."

Cameron smiled, "Sorry. Habit." She set the wet washcloth on Thirteen's forehead.

Thirteen closed her eyes and reluctantly pushed the covers off of herself.

Cameron bit her lip as her eyes scanned the woman laying next to her. Clad only in lavender lingerie, Thirteen's lean body was curled up and shivering.

"You can go now," Thirteen said softly, "I'll be okay."

Cameron ran the wet washcloth down Thirteen's face then placed it back on her forehead. "I'll be back after work to check on you."

"You don't have to," Thirteen said, opening her eyes, "It's just a head cold or the flu or food poisoning."

"How do you know it's not Abrovirosis?" Cameron asked.

"No seizures," Thirteen answered with a small smile.

"Sindbis?" Cameron asked with a smile.

"No rash," Thirteen stated.

"Acrodynia?" Cameron went on.

Thirteen chuckled, "I'm not an infant and I haven't taken a swig from a mercury thermometer in years."

Cameron patted Thirteen's arm. "Alright. I'll be back after work."

"You don't have to," Thirteen stated.

"I'm going to," Cameron stood up.

"Fine," Thirteen stated, "Just let yourself in since you have to take my car."

"Okay," Cameron said, "Get some sleep, drink lots of fluids."

"I went to Med school," Thirteen rolled onto her stomach and closed her eyes.

Cameron smiled and picked up Thirteen's keys on her way out the door.


	19. Chapter 19

There's been some concern as to if I'm going to go with the poll results or not. Don't worry, I meant what I said and I said what I meant, this author's faithful one hundred percent. -- if you get that reference you are so cool. Anyway, I'm not completely discounting the poll results. Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

Thirteen was awakened a few minutes later by the phone ringing. She grabbed the annoying object off of her bed and snapped it open, "Hello?"

"Thirteen?" a man's voice asked.

"Yeah," Thirteen huffed. She wished whoever it was would just hurry up and get to the point.

"What are you doing with my fiancée's phone?" Chase asked.

Thirteen looked at the phone, finally noticing it wasn't hers. "Oh she just…" Thirteen stopped explaining when she heard the click of Chase hanging up.

"Shit," Thirteen sighed. She looked around for her own phone. Not seeing it in the bedroom, she trudged into the living room. She found her phone on top of her folded clothes on the couch.

She dialed the hospital and sat on the couch. "Hello, can I speak to Dr. Cameron….she already left? Okay thank you."

Thirteen went back to lay down. As soon as her eyes were closed, she heard the front door open. She really didn't feel like getting up so if it was a burglar it was their lucky day.

The door closed then Cameron appeared in the doorway of her bedroom.

Thirteen looked at her and noticed that she looked like she'd been crying. Thirteen immediately got up, "Are you okay?"

Cameron shrugged, "I guess."

"This is my fault isn't it?" Thirteen asked, "I shouldn't have answered the phone…"

"It's not your fault," Cameron interrupted her, "We just had a fight. It was inevitable."

Thirteen sighed, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't think so," Cameron put her hand on Thirteen's forehead. "You're fever broke."

"I told you I didn't have malaria," Thirteen smirked.

"I never said malaria," Cameron replied, starting to check Thirteen's lymph nodes.

Thirteen took Cameron's hands and stopped them from their examination, "I'm fine. Now I'm sure you have better things to do than worry over me."

"Actually no I don't," Cameron took her hands back, looking at Thirteen's eyes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a mini flashlight.

"No," Thirteen closed her eyes, "You're not going to check my eyes. I'm fine."

Cameron crossed her arms.

"Don't look at me like that," Thirteen smiled.

Cameron finally smiled, "Okay, you're fine."

"Cool," Thirteen replied and yawned, "Since you've taken care of me, I think I owe you dinner. Take out maybe."

"You don't have to," Cameron said.

"I want to," Thirteen smirked, "Unless you want to go home and watch Desperate Housewives. Then I won't stand in your way."

Cameron shrugged, "I don't think I'm going to go home tonight."

Thirteen's smirk faded, "Where are you going to stay?"

"The hotel down the street," Cameron stated, "I stayed there while my old apartment was being fumigated. It's nice."

"Stay here," Thirteen offered. She could see that Cameron was fixing to disagree so she added, "I feel like this is my fault. Please. Stay here."

Cameron nodded, "Okay."

"So Thai or gyros?" Thirteen asked.

"Gyros sound good right now," Cameron took a seat on the couch.

Thirteen grabbed her phone, "I'm going to go put some clothes on. Do you want anything special on your gyro?"

"No onions," Cameron answered.

Thirteen smiled, "You can watch TV or listen to music or whatever. Just make yourself at home."

"Okay," Cameron nodded.

Thirteen walked into her bedroom and came out a few minutes later, fully clothed in lounge pants and a muscle shirt. She plopped down next Cameron and pulled her legs under herself.

"You can change the channel," Cameron told Thirteen, "I'm not really watching this."

Thirteen shook her head, "You pick." She got up and walked to the refrigerator. She returned to the couch with two beers. She handed one to Cameron before twisting the top off her own.

"I never knew you drank beer," Cameron twisted the top off of hers.

"There's a lot people don't know about me," Thirteen answered, sitting down.

Cameron cocked her head to the side, "Why is that anyway?"

Thirteen smiled, "When I meet people, they know nothing about me so they can't make assumptions about me. If they know about me, the definition of me, in their minds, is finite."

"Does anyone know the real Thirteen?" Cameron asked, sipping her beer.

"You're the third closest anyone's come," Thirteen answered.

"After Marissa and…." Cameron prodded.

"My ex, Jodi," Thirteen stated.

Cameron was content to leave the conversation at that. She turned her attention to the TV.

They walked TV until the food arrived, then continued watching TV while they ate.

Thirteen closed her eyes and laid her head on the back of the couch.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked, noticing the other doctor's position.

Thirteen nodded, "I think I should go to sleep before my headache comes back." She stood.

"Where are your extra blankets?" Cameron asked.

"I don't have any," Thirteen stated.

"Oh," Cameron bit her lips, "Okay."

"C'mon," Thirteen said, "You're sleeping in my bed. There's no why you'll be able to sleep on that couch comfortably, then you won't get any sleep, then you'll go to work exhausted tomorrow, you'll misdiagnose someone and then they'll die. And it will be all my fault. You don't really want that weighting down my conscience do you?"

Cameron laughed, "Have you ever though about being a lawyer?"

"Yeah lawyer was right under trash collector on my list of things to be in life," Thirteen smiled.

Thirteen got out some clothes for Cameron to wear then fell onto her bed.

After a while, both women were fast asleep on opposite sides of the bed.

A knock on the front door woke Thirteen up. She rubbed her eyes then got out of bed to get it. She unlocked the door and swung it open, seeing a happy looking Marissa in the doorway.

"Did I wake you up?" Marissa asked.

Thirteen nodded, "But it's okay. I left work early today. I think I have a head cold."

Marissa put some of Thirteen's hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry you're sick. I've always wondered if doctor's got sick."

"Rarely," Thirteen smiled.

Marissa softly kissed her.

"So what brings you here anyway?" Thirteen asked.

"I just started driving and ended up here," Marissa took Thirteen's hands.

Marissa's eye caught some movement from behind Thirteen. She looked behind her to see inside Thirteen's bedroom door. She saw someone moving on the bed. Then the person sat up. She saw it was Cameron.

Thirteen followed Marissa's eyes when she saw the look on her face go from joy to a mixture of anger and sadness. She spotted Cameron sitting up in her bed.

When she turned around to explain, she saw that Marissa was already walking away.

"Marissa!" Thirteen called running after her, "Wait! It's not….she's just sleeping over!"

Thirteen's pleas fell on deaf ears. There were tears flowing down Marissa's face and she had her arms wrapped around herself. When she got to her car, she started it and took off.

Thirteen sighed as she watched Marissa's car fade in the distance. "Damnit!" She huffed and trudged back to her apartment.


	20. Chapter 20

Thirteen grabbed her phone the second she walked in the door and called Marissa. She didn't really expect Marissa to answer. She got Marissa's cheerful voice asking her to leave a message. When it beeped Thirteen started talking, "I know how you what you saw may have looked back, but I was sick this morning and she brought me home. Then I guess she dropped her phone when she left and I answered it because I thought it was mine. It was Chase and he got angry. Cameron's only spending the night because they had a fight." She paused, "I would have chased after you in my car, but I don't know where you're going…I want to talk to you about this. I'll be at the coffee shop by the hospital tomorrow before work… from seven to eight thirty. I really hope you'll be there too." Thirteen closed her phone and tossed it onto the couch before holding her facing in her hands.

"I am so sorry," Cameron said quietly.

Thirteen shook her head, "It's not your fault."

"May I should go," Cameron offered.

"No," Thirteen stood up, "You stay. I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll be back later. You can use my car if you need to." Thirteen grabbed a hoodie off of the coat rack and put it on as she walked out.

Cameron sat on the couch staring at the TV, but not really watching it. She kept wondering how it got this far. A crush turned into a game, then a scam. Then it turned into a friendship, then something more. Her crush has possibly ruined two different relationships, possibly three if Thirteen decided it was all Cameron's fault.

Thirteen sat in the cold park staring at the lit basketball court in front of her. She kept replaying the second time Marissa walked out on her. Then the first one. Then the second one again. The beach, then her apartment. Ryan, then Cameron. She put her head in her hands. She couldn't blame Cameron for this. Thirteen of all people knows you can't control who you're attracted to. It definitely wasn't Marissa's fault. She just interpreted what she saw in the only way that was logical with the limited information she had. She couldn't blame House because he was…well he was just being House. So there was only one person left to blame.

"It's all my fault," Thirteen muttered to herself.

A few hours later, Cameron decided that Thirteen had been gone too long in the cold. She grabbed Thirteen's keys and opened the front door. She stepped outside to see Thirteen walking toward her.

"Hey," Cameron said, "I was just going to look for you. I thought something might have happened."

Thirteen shrugged, "I'm okay." She quietly walked inside and Cameron closed the door behind them.

She debated in her head as to what she should do. She finally wrapped her arms around Thirteen who just melted into her.

"It's all my fault," Thirteen whispered trying not to cry.

"No," Cameron rubbed her back, "It's not your fault."

"I just…it's can't be your fault, it's not Marissa's fault," Thirteen sighed into Cameron's shoulder, "Who else's fault can it be?"

"It's no one's fault," Cameron said, "Everything just go misinterpreted. More than once." Cameron felt Thirteen cling to her. She felt her heart break for the woman in her arms.

Thirteen pulled away after a few minutes, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" She wiped her face.

"It's okay," Cameron softly smiled, "It'll be okay."

Thirteen nodded, "I hope so." She took a deep breath. "I'm gonna go back to bed."

"Okay," Cameron followed her to the bedroom, "I'm gonna stay on the couch."

"No way," Thirteen shook her head, "There's no more problems that can be caused by you sleeping in my bed."

Cameron finally agreed and laid down.

They both drifted off the sleep on opposite sides of the bed.

When Thirteen woke up, Cameron was still asleep. It was six thirty so she decided to let Cameron sleep. Thirteen got dressed and wrote a note to Cameron telling her that she was welcome to borrow some clothes and her car.

Thirteen left the apartment and walked to the coffee shop. She was there by seven like she told Marissa on the message and she was surprised to see Marissa sitting in a table in the window.

Thirteen was concerned when she saw Marissa's face. She looked like she hadn't slept all night and had been crying for a while.

"What happened?" Thirteen asked sitting down. She was sure she didn't do that.

Marissa bit her lip, "My dad's been arrested in Barbados. I'm going to fly down there for the week and try to get him out of trouble." Marissa paused then looked into Thirteen's eyes, "While I'm gone, I want you to be with Dr. Cameron. Sort out your feelings." Thirteen opened her mouth, but Marissa held her hand up, "Let me finish. I want to be with you so bad, but I want to know that you have no doubts about us. That you don't wonder what could have happened. If you choose to be with her, I'll be hurt, but I'll be okay. Maybe…maybe it'll show me a little of what I did to you."

Tears built up behind Thirteen's eyes, "I guess there's no way I can change your mind?"

Marissa shook her head, "Just do it so I can know. So I don't have to wonder if I'm holding you back. Please?"

Thirteen bit her lip, "Okay."

Marissa stood up and took Thirteen's hand. They stood up together. Marissa kissed Thirteen's cheek, then kissed her softly on her lips. Then she hugged Thirteen and walked off.

Thirteen sat down at the vacated table, stunned.

She grabbed some coffee and walked across the street to the hospital.

"Isn't Cameron wearing your pants?" House asked when he first saw her.

Thirteen barely registered that House had said anything. "What?"

"You were about to explain how Cameron got into your pants," House stated.

"Oh," Thirteen said, "Um…one leg at a time?"

"So those were you pants," House followed her toward the office.

"Doesn't she wear scrubs?" Thirteen asked.

"No before she gets here," House replied, "What happened to TTP girl?"

Thirteen was in no mood to humor House, "She wants me to go for it with Cameron while she's in Barbados getting her father out of jail. Then I have to choose."

"Is there anyway I can get you to video tape your everyday life?" House asked, "It sounds better than my soaps."

Thirteen pushed open the door to the office and shook her head, "No way."

As soon as they walked in Kutner started talking, "Fever, vomiting, photophobia, sensory hallucinations, disorientation, internal bleeding, and trouble swallowing." He handed a fold to Thirteen who took it and started looking it over.

House stopped dead, "Who touched my board?"

"He did," Taub said, not looking up from the newspaper.

"Thirteen used it," Kutner defended himself.

"That was a test," House stated, "The test is over. Never touch my whiteboard again."

Kutner nodded and sat down.

House started erasing everything Kutner wrote before rewriting it.

At lunchtime, Thirteen grabbed some food and went back to the office alone. She wasn't really in the mood for curious stares of people who had heard of her, but didn't actually know her. She sat at the table going over some MRI scans of the patient.

A soft knock on the glass door made her look up at the door. Cameron silently stepped inside waiting for a reaction.

"Hey," Thirteen said.

"Hey," Cameron replied. There was an uncomfortable pause before Cameron spoke again, "How'd it go this morning?"

Thirteen shrugged, "She said that she's going to be gone for a week and she wants me to date you while she's gone." Thirteen went back to the MRIs.

"Wait…what?" Cameron asked leaning on the back of a chair.

Thirteen nodded, "Yeah that's what I said. So do you like Italian food?"

"You're actually going to do it?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen looked up at Cameron and nodded, "It's only fair to Marissa. She said she wanted me to do this so that I wouldn't wonder what could have happened. And right now…I am wondering."

Cameron took in all of Thirteen's words, "So what? I'm just a passing, interim relationship to you?"

"Isn't that what I was supposed to be for you?" Thirteen asked back.

Cameron bit her lip, "Fine. I'll pick you up at seven."

Thirteen's lips curled into a small smile. "Okay."

There was a long silence. Finally Cameron walked over to Thirteen and pulled her up into a standing position. She tentatively pressed her lips against Thirteen's waiting for her to jerk away and possibly run. But she didn't. Thirteen even deepened the kiss.

This time the kiss wasn't rushed or frantic. It was slow and meaningful. Once their lips found a sync Thirteen slowly pulled away and rested her forehead on Cameron's.

Cameron smiled triumphantly, "Seven?"

"Yeah," Thirteen breathed.

With one last quick kiss, Cameron left. She had plans to make. She only have one week to win Thirteen over and she sure wasn't going to waste a second of it.

* * *

I've come to a realization. There's no way I can write one ending to this without being totally disappointed in the outcome, so I've decided to write two endings. Both will be posted at relatively the same time probably a few chapters from now. Hopefully with the two endings everyone will be happy.


	21. Chapter 21

Thirteen tapped her pen on the table as House talked. She wasn't in the room. She was thinking about two beautiful women. One blonde, one brunette. One from Newport Beach, the other from…well Thirteen wasn't sure where Cameron was from, but it definitely wasn't Newport.

"Thirty-one?" House asked, looking at her.

Thirteen rolled her eyes at the 'both ways' term House used to address her. "LCM."

"She was wearing a five hundred dollar suit when she walked in," Taub stated, "And you think her illness is rodent-borne?"

"Her husband also said something about helping out at a homeless shelter," Thirteen replied, "I don't know if you've ever been to a homeless shelter, but it's definitely no the Hilton."

"Go run the blood tests and the MRI," House told the three doctors in front of him.

They went off to do the tests.

Thirteen walked into the MRI room after taking the blood sample and walking it to the lab. "Anything?"

"Nothing we didn't already suspect," Taub shook his head.

Thirteen nodded, "Good."

Kutner pressed the button to talk to the patient, "We're done Mrs. Stevens. We'll be in to get you out in after we shut down the machine."

"Okay," came the woman's response.

All three doctors wheeled Mrs. Stevens back to her room. As the walked, Thirteen spotted the one person she hoped she wouldn't run into ever again. Dr. Chase was walking purposefully toward them and hopefully somewhere behind them.

Thirteen did her best to avoid his eyes, looking at the patient's IV bag or her the wall directly in front of her. Chase passed without comment, choosing just to glare at Thirteen as he passed.

"What'd you do to piss him off?" Taub asked quietly.

"More like who did you do?" Kutner added with a smirk, "And by who I mean Dr. Cameron."

"I didn't _do_ Dr. Cameron," Thirteen explained.

"Not yet," House said from behind them, "Chase looked at you like you ran over his puppy."

"There's nothing on the MRI," Thirteen chose to ignore House's statement.

"Do you have a date tonight at the Starlight Lounge?" House asked Thirteen.

Thirteen shook her head, "Not that I know of."

"How cute," House droned, "It's a surprise date. I heard Cameron on the phone making a reservation."

Thirteen tried to squash a smile. She'd never been to the Starlight Lounge, but she heard it was the most romantic restaurant in town.

Then she started to feel bad for getting so excited. Marissa was in Barbados trying to get her dad out of prison and pushing her toward Cameron along the way. Then she felt bad for not being excited to go with Cameron because apparently the date meant a lot to the blonde doctor. So Thirteen found herself stuck at excited and guilty with no other forks in the road. The impasse between the two feelings kept going on so Thirteen accepted that they'd both be there. She'd feel excited and guilty and that was that.

"I don't see why Cameron likes you," House stated, "You're not broken yet."

Thirteen was confused as to what House was saying, but kept helping the patient back into her bed.

Right after work Thirteen walked out to the parking lot and spotted her car. She dug for her keys in her pocket and found nothing. She suddenly remembered that she walked to work, which didn't sound as appealing as it did this morning.

"Lose something?" Cameron's voice asked from behind her.

Thirteen turned around with a smile, seeing Cameron grinning and holding out her keys. Cameron offered the keys to Thirteen, but Thirteen shook her head, "C'mon, you're driving me home."

Cameron beamed and nodded, following Thirteen to her car. Once they were in, Thirteen laid her head back on the headrest and looked out the window.

"How was work?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen smiled, "It was okay. Our patient had LCM and a five hundred dollar suit."

"Wow," Cameron nodded.

"What about you?" Thirteen asked, "How was work?"

"There was about five gunshot victims, a few college kids who's stomachs had to be pumped, and a man with the handle bars of his bike sticking out of his chest," Cameron said, pulling to a stop outside Cameron's building.

"That just made me miss the ER," Thirteen stated. She glanced in the back of her car and noticed a few boxes and some clothes.

Thirteen was about to ask, but Cameron started explaining, "I went to get some of my stuff from my old apartment. I hope you don't mind that I used your car."

"I don't mind," Thirteen said, "Do you need help carrying it upstairs?"

Cameron shook her head, "I couldn't put you out."

"You're not putting me out," Thirteen replied, opening her door, "And like I said before I feel guilty so at least let me try to assuage my guilt by forcing you to stay with me."

Cameron slowly smiled, "Okay, but only until I find my own apartment."

"Fine," Thirteen agreed.

They each grabbed a box and made their way up the stairs. They put the boxes in the bedroom and Thirteen went to the kitchen, "Do you want something to drink? I have…the same thing as last night."

Cameron chuckled, "Water's fine."

Thirteen got two glasses of water and handed one to Cameron. Thirteen watched Cameron over her glass.

"Can I ask you something?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron nodded, "Sure."

"Today House said that he doesn't know why you like me because I'm not broken yet," Thirteen leaned back on the counter.

Cameron let out a long breath, "Well, while I was in college I fell in love with a man who had thyroid cancer." She paused gathering her thoughts, "We got married and he died six months later."

Thirteen softened a little bit, "I'm sorry."

Cameron nodded and continued, "And I'm sure you've already heard about me and House."

"I heard you got him to go on a date," Thirteen replied, "A feat I'm sure only you have been able to do in years."

"Well if Cuddy ever offered House would be all over her," Cameron assured Thirteen.

Thirteen took a deep breath, "So you wouldn't be interested if I didn't have a fifty percent chance of having Huntington's?"

"No," Cameron said quickly, "I-um-This is going to sound so cheesy, but the first time I saw you…jeeze I sound like a Hallmark card. I liked you before I knew about your mom. I really did."

Thirteen smiled, "I believe you."

Cameron leaned on the opposite counter as Thirteen.

"Do you wear contacts?" Thirteen asked out of seemingly nowhere.

"Yeah," Cameron nodded.

"Are they colored?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron shook her head, "Just corrective. My eyes are hyperopic."

"Oh," Thirteen smiled, "Good. I was hoping they were naturally that beautiful."

Cameron blushed and looked down at her shoes, "Thanks."

Thirteen found this side of Cameron to be absolutely adorable. She looked the woman up and down before picking up her water again. "So this date tonight, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," Cameron smiled.

"Did you make dinner reservations on the phone in front of House?" Thirteen asked.

"Yes," Cameron smiled, "And he told you I was taking you to the Starlight Lounge, which I'm not. Don't worry, we're going to the Starlight Lounge tomorrow night."

"You seem to have a lot of confidence in the first date," Thirteen smirked.

Cameron nodded, "Yeah pretty much."

Thirteen smiled, "When is it?"

"Whenever you want to go," Cameron stated, "I was just going to change. So we can go whenever you're ready."

"Okay," Thirteen nodded, "I'm gonna jump in the shower."

"Take your time," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen disappeared into the bathroom while Cameron went to get dressed and finish making preparations for their date tonight.


	22. Chapter 22

Thirteen looked eagerly out the window and tried to figure out where they were going, but since she was still relatively new to the area and rarely ventured far from her apartment, except to go to New York City, she had no idea where they were.

Cameron pulled into a parking lot at what looked to be a park and turned off the car.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow and looked over at her.

Cameron smiled at the look on Thirteen's face. "Don't worry, we're not there yet." She got out and went to the other side of the car, opening the door for Thirteen. Thirteen smiled in a thank you, then watched Cameron get a bag she hadn't noticed before out of the backseat.

"What's in the bag?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron smiled and shrugged, "You'll have to wait and see huh?" She then reached in the backseat and pulled out a blanket.

Thirteen was starting to piece together what was going on. She smiled slightly and followed Cameron down the path leading into the park.

A few minutes later, Cameron dropped the blanket under a tree a little off of the path and a few yards away from a street lamp.

Thirteen looked past Cameron and noticed that they were on a hill and the hill they were on overlooked the beautiful, lit up buildings of Princeton University.

Cameron spread out the blanket and sat on it. Thirteen followed suit, sitting next to Cameron facing the magnificent view. Cameron started unloading the back which contained gyros, a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, and a small pink box that Thirteen was sure came from a bakery.

After divvying out the food and pouring the wine they started eating.

"Did you make this?" Thirteen asked, "It's amazing."

Cameron smiled and shook her head, "I can cook pretty much anything except Greek food. It always ends up tasting like vinegar or completely charred."

Thirteen chuckled. She took another bite of her gyro, while watching Cameron look out onto the university.

"Thank you," Thirteen said quietly, "This is so delicious and the view is incredible."

Cameron looked over at Thirteen and smiled, "I'm glad you like it." She took Thirteen's hand that wasn't holding the gyro and softly kissed it.

Thirteen felt shivers shoot up her arm and throughout her entire body. She gave into impulse and pulled Cameron into a small, sweet kiss.

Cameron came away smiling, the taste of the wine on Thirteen's lips tingling on her own lips.

After a few minutes of finishing off the gyros and sipping wine while enjoying the view Cameron spoke, "Was Harvard this pretty?"

"Prettier," Thirteen smirked.

"Oh yeah," Cameron smiled, "That Princeton-Harvard rivalry thing."

Thirteen took another sip of her wine, "I've never really been into the while school spirit thing. Even in high school."

"Were you the nerd in the front of the class?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen shook her head, "I was the don't-look-at-me-wrong-or-I'll-beat-the-crap-out-of-you girl."

"You?" Cameron asked in disbelief, "No way."

Thirteen smiled, "Yeah. I dropped out of high school and went to live with my girlfriend."

"Wow," Cameron laid down on the blanket putting her arm behind her head, "What a rebel."

"What about you?" Thirteen asked, "Were you the prom queen?"

Cameron laughed, "Not even close. I was the nerd in the front of the class. I was the president of the science club."

Thirteen smiled. She scooted closer to Cameron and patted her lap. Cameron took the hint and laid her head in Thirteen's lap.

Thirteen absentmindedly ran her fingers through Cameron's hair while looking out at the skyline. "Where were you born?"

Cameron looked up at Thirteen, "Iowa."

"Are you serious?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron nodded, "It's not as bad as it sounds. It's definitely not LA, but it's alright." There was a brief pause, "Do you miss LA?"

"Sometimes," Thirteen shrugged, "When it's forty below zero and my car won't start."

Cameron chuckled. She closed her eyes and tried to memorize the feel of Thirteen's fingers running through her hair incase this was just an interim thing.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Thirteen asked quietly.

"Of course," Cameron nodded.

"Have you ever been with a woman?" Thirteen looked down at Cameron, a few stray piece of hair dangling toward the blonde in her lap.

Cameron nodded, "Yeah, I was in college. She was an art student. We had a short, but very intense relationship. But other than her no."

Thirteen looked back to the lights of Princeton. She took a deep breath.

Cameron put together the question and the sigh. She sat up and turned to face Thirteen, "I know I may not have a great track record with girls. I'm 0 and 1. But they way I feel about you…it's so hard to explain. There's this pull deep inside of me and it's pulling me to you."

Tears pooled in Thirteen's eyes. She tried to blink them away, but failed as a few slipped down her cheek.

"I'm sorry," Cameron whispered, "I shouldn't have…"

"No," Thirteen swallowed as much of her small breakdown as possible and went on, "It's not that. I just…Before all of…this, whatever it is, I thought I was doomed to a life of one night stands and lonely nights because I wont' let anyone get too close, but now…there's you and there's Marissa and," she took a deep breath, "you're both closer than anyone's ever gotten."

Cameron nodded understandingly.

"I was so in love with her," Thirteen went on, "We lived together and it was perfect. At least for me. Then everything fell apart. She hurt me so bad." Thirteen bit her lips to keep the tears at bay. "I just…those feelings are still there, but not as strong as they were." Thirteen reached up to touch Cameron's cheek softly, "And you. You're so sweet and so good to me." She put some hair behind Cameron's ear. "But I don't know how patient you're going to be with me to let you completely in."

Cameron wanted to say she'd wait however long it took, but she knew it wouldn't help Thirteen. She just covered Thirteen's hand with her own and press both their hands against her cheek. She brought her other hand up to Thirteen's cheek and pulled her in for a slow, lingering kiss. She could feel Thirteen's lips move in sync with her own.

When Thirteen finally pulled away she sighed, "I'm sorry I'm such a buzz kill."

Cameron stroked Thirteen's cheek with her thumb, "Don't worry about it." She pulled Thirteen into a short, but meaningful embrace.

After a minutes Thirteen looked at Cameron and smiled, "What's in the box?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Cameron smiled back. She picked up the box and opened it, "It's chocolate baklava."

"Sounds good," Thirteen took a piece, "Especially the chocolate part."

After polishing off the baklava, Cameron packed up everything and folded up the blanket. They walked back to the car hand in hand.

Cameron unlocked the front door when they got home. She opened the door for Thirteen who smiled in a thank you.

"It's freezing outside," Thirteen said peeling off her jacket.

"Missing LA?" Cameron asked with a smile.

Thirteen grinned, "Just the weather right now and the surf."

Cameron took off her jacket, "You surf?"

"Yeah," Thirteen nodded.

"Have you been to the Jersey Shore?" Cameron asked.

"No," Thirteen stated, "I haven't had time."

Cameron smiled, "Okay."

"What was that smile for?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron shrugged as innocently as possible, "Nothing."

"Sure…" Thirteen said and yawned. She took a few steps toward Cameron before wrapping her arms around Cameron's neck, "Thank you so much for tonight. I had fun."

Cameron held onto Thirteen's slender waist, loving the feel of the younger woman's body up against hers. Thirteen lingered for a little while before pulling away just a few inches to look at Cameron's face.

"You are so beautiful," Cameron whispered.

Thirteen gently brought her lips to Cameron's and they shared a small sweet kiss.

"Mmm," Thirteen slowly pulled away, "I'm going to bed."

"I think I'm going to take a shower first," Cameron said.

"Okay," Thirteen smiled, "Thanks again for tonight."

Cameron smiled back, "Anytime."

When she was done with her shower, Cameron got dressed in her pajamas and walked to Thirteen's bedroom. Thirteen was already asleep, curled up on one side of the bed. Cameron slowly crawled into bed and turned to face Thirteen. After lightly brushing some hair out of Thirteen's face and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead, Cameron finally drifted off to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, Thirteen woke up and smiled feeling the weight of an arm draped around her waist. When she opened her eyes, she discovered Cameron still peacefully sleeping next to her. She studied the older doctor's delicate features. She softly ran her finger down Cameron's jaw before hearing Cameron's breathing change.

Cameron's eyes fluttered open and she immediately smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Thirteen smiled.

Cameron glanced at the clock behind Thirteen, "Do you have time for breakfast before you go to work?"

"You're not going to work?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron shook her head, "I'm taking today off to find an apartment and a car. I can't keep mooching off of you."

Thirteen smiled, "It's not mooching if I don't mind and I don't."

"Yeah, but I need somewhere to put the rest of my stuff," Cameron replied, putting some stray hair behind Thirteen's ear.

"Yeah I guess so," Thirteen smiled.

Cameron kissed Thirteen, "C'mon, you're going to be late."

After breakfast, they both got dressed and Cameron dropped Thirteen off at the hospital.

"Thirteen!" Cuddy called when she walked in the door.

Thirteen turned to Cuddy.

"I need you in the ER today," Cuddy stated, "Dr. Cameron took the day off."

"Okay," Thirteen nodded.

Cuddy touched her arm, "Thanks." Then she walked away.

About an hour later Kutner walked into the ER, "Hey Thirteen, House wants you."

"I'm busy," Thirteen replied accepting a chart from a nurse.

Kutner shrugged, "Okay."

A few minutes later, House himself came walking into the ER. "Where's Cameron?"

"She went to go find an apartment," an Australian man's voice stated.

House smiled and sat in the closest chair, "This should be fun."

"I actually came to ask for your help," Chase told House.

"Goody," House stood up, "Ask Thirteen. I'm busy." He walked off.

Thirteen looked helplessly after him hoping that he was kidding and just coming back, but House disappeared around the corner and didn't come back.

"Oookay," Chase said uncomfortably, "Here's the chart."

Thirteen took it and read over it. Then she looked up at Chase, "Where is she?"

"This way," Chase said professionally and led Thirteen down the long hallway.

When they got there, Chase slid the door open. There was a toddler laying in a bed. Chase looked around, "Her parents were right here." He stepped outside and grabbed one of the nurses, "Where's her parents?"

The nurse looked inside and her eyes widened, "They were right here. I went to go get some coffee. I was only gone for a few seconds." She turned to a woman at the nurse's station across the hallway, "Hey Stacy did you see the parents in this room leave?"

A woman looked up from her phone and shook her head.

Thirteen walked over to the open window and looked out. "They probably went out the window. They could have gotten onto that tree and climbed down."

"They just left their kid here?" Chase asked, looking at the two year old, sleeping in the bed.

Thirteen looked the child up and down. She checked the child's lymph nodes, then looked at her feet. "It could be Kawasaki Disease or TSS. Are there any infections?"

Chase shook his head.

"Kawasaki or Lupus," House said from the door with a bag or popcorn in his hand.

"I thought you were busy," Chase stated.

"I'm not if you two aren't going to fight," House stated, "Take a blood sample and do an ANA panel. If it's positive it's Lupus. If it isn't it's Kawasaki." He looked at Chase, "I thought you were a surgeon. What are you doing with a kid that should be in pediatrics?"

"I was prepping her mom for a splenectomy," Chase stated, "Since she already knew me she wanted me to take care of her daughter."

"Where's the kid's mom?" House asked eating some popcorn.

"Out the window," Thirteen answered closing the vial of blood, "I'll be in the lab if you need me."

Chase just looked after her.

"Terribly efficient isn't she?" House asked, walking away.

When Thirteen walked back into the room a few hours later to find Chase staring at the child, who was still sleeping. "It's definitely negative for Lupus."

"So it's Kawasaki," he stated.

"Do you want me to start the IVIG or do you want to do it?" Thirteen asked, holding up the IVIG bag.

Chase sighed, "What makes someone abandon their kid?"

"Fear? Disappointment? Selfishness?" Thirteen answered wistfully.

"Sounds like you have some experience," Chase observed.

Thirteen just shrugged and hooked up the immunoglobulin.

Chase and Thirteen periodically checked on the little girl who was moved to Pediatrics after her treatment.

When her shift in the ER was over Thirteen hung up her lab coat and walked outside into the cold. She pulled out her cell phone and looked at it for a minute before dialing.

"Hello?"

"Hey Marissa," Thirteen answered back, "How's your dad?"

"He's being released tomorrow," Marissa replied, "Are you okay? You sound tired or upset. It's hard to tell over the phone."

"Some people just abandoned their two year old after she was admitted," Thirteen sighed.

Marissa paused, "And you can relate to her."

"It's not just that," Thirteen stated, "She didn't do anything. I did something my dad disagreed with, but she didn't do anything."

"You're dad was wrong," Marissa reassured her, "And the little girl's parents are wrong too."

Thirteen took a minute to calm down, "I just don't understand that kind of selfishness."

"Of course you don't," Marissa replied, "You spend your days saving people's lives. You're sweet and you'd give someone the shirt off your back. There's no way you'd be able to understand selfishness."

A small smile broke out across Thirteen's face, "Thanks."

"No problem," Marissa added. Thirteen could hear the smile in her voice. Then Thirteen heard a voice in the background, "Thank you for your purchase."

Thirteen chuckled, "You can shop anywhere can't you?"

"Pretty much," Marissa replied, "Hey listen, I gotta go. I'm picking Summer up at the airport."

"Summer's going?" Thirteen asked.

"Yeah," Marissa stated, "Seth has some kind of convention in Seattle so he's not home and she's bored so she's flying in."

"Cool," Thirteen replied, "Well, thanks again."

"No problem," Marissa said, "Feel free to call anytime."

"I will," Thirteen answered, "Have fun."

"I will," Marissa replied, "Bye."

"Bye," Thirteen hung up. She tapped her phone against her palm before dialing another number.

"Hello?" Cameron answered her phone, cheerfully.

Thirteen smiled, "What are you so happy about?"

"I found an apartment," Cameron stated, "It's my dream apartment. It's huge and it's close to the hospital."

"Good," Thirteen replied, "So where are you?"

"Hold on," Cameron said, "Count to ten."

"One, two, three, four, five…" Thirteen counted when she saw her car pull up to the curb in front of her. Thirteen hung up and walked over to her car. She opened the door, adding, "You're five seconds early."

"I can go around the block again if you want me to," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen got in and closed the door. "No thanks. It's freezing outside."

Cameron drove them to Thirteen's apartment. They walked upstairs together and Cameron unlocked the door.

"I promise you'll have your car back by the end of the week," Cameron told Thirteen when they got inside, "I just got sidetracked today with the apartment."

"Don't worry about it," Thirteen reassured Cameron as she sat on the couch.

"What are you going to wear tonight?" Cameron asked.

"Tonight?" Thirteen asked, then remembered, "Oh, um…I have no idea."

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked taking a seat next to Thirteen.

Thirteen shrugged, "There was this little girl today. She has Kawasaki Disease." Thirteen took a deep breath, "When the nurses weren't looking, her parents crawled out the window and down a tree. They abandoned her in the hospital."

"That's terrible," Cameron tilted her head, "But you're taking it personally." There was a pause before Cameron asked, "Did something happen with your parents?"

The reply she got was a nod.

She didn't want to pressure Thirteen into an answer. Instead she wrapped her arms protectively around Thirteen and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry," Thirteen said a few minutes later, breaking free of Cameron's embrace.

Cameron rubbed Thirteen's back, "It's okay."

Thirteen finally let out a smile, "You wanna help me decide what to wear?"

Cameron beamed, "Of course."

They walked off into the bedroom to decide what to wear.

They arrived at the Starlight Lounge an hour and a half later, Thirteen dressed in a flowing blue dress and Cameron in a tight red one, and were immediately seated. After appetizers and the main course, Cameron studied Thirteen while they waited for desert. She was looking off somewhere. Her mind wasn't at the table anymore.

Cameron stopped a passing waiter, "Can we get our desert to go?"

He nodded and walked off.

"Where are we going?" Thirteen asked finally looking at Cameron.

"We're going to the hospital," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen took a sip of her wine, "For what?"

"So you can check on that little girl," Cameron answered.

Thirteen smiled, "Thank you."

After they got the desert and paid, Cameron drove them to the hospital.

"I'll meet you there," Cameron told Thirteen as they walked in, "I think I left my necklace in my locker."

Thirteen nodded and they parted ways.

Thirteen stepped into the small room. Cartoons were muted on the TV and the little girl was asleep.

She walked over to the monitors and looked them over. The color was back in the little girl's cheeks and all her vitals were normal. Thirteen let out a long breath.

"CPS is picking her up tomorrow morning," Chase said stepping into the room. He'd changed clothes since she'd seen him last and he was in jeans and a nice t-shirt.

"Another kid in the system," Thirteen sighed.

Chase walked to the opposite side of the bed and looked down at the girl, "I should have known they were going to leave. They were packing up their things…I just thought they were trying to keep the room clean."

"You couldn't have known," Thirteen assured him, "They were just looking for a way out. Having a kid in the hospital gave it to them."

There was a long pause before Chase spoke again, "She doesn't know what's going on. She's going to wake up and expect to see mommy and daddy."

"Maybe now she'll have a life with parent who will lover her no matter what," Thirteen added hopefully.

"Your parents abandoned you," Chase stated looking Thirteen over.

"When I was sixteen my dad kicked me out," Thirteen stated trying to keep her emotions in neutral.

"Why?" Chase asked.

Thirteen paused, "He caught me making out with my girlfriend."

"I'm sorry," Chase said quietly, catching Thirteen's eyes and holding them. After a minute he asked, "You look like you just came from somewhere nice."

Thirteen nodded, "And you look like you just came from a bowling alley."

Chase looked surprised, "How did you know?"

"You smell like cigarettes and wax," Thirteen replied, "Plus you're still wearing your bowling shoes."

Chase smiled and nodded, "Yeah. Apparently Amber's been keeping Wilson from House so he needs a bowling partner."

"House goes bowling?" Thirteen asked.

Chase nodded.

"Hmm," Thirteen smiled, "I just figured Cuddy locked him in the morgue at night."

Chase tried to fight off a smile. After all he was having a conversation with the woman his fiancée left him for. He was having a hard time staying mad at her. Especially after she opened up to him about her father.

He was watching her look at the little girl when she saw movement behind her. He looked through the glass wall and saw Cameron standing in the hallway with a red dress on. He already figured Thirteen was on a date with Cameron so the fact that she was here didn't shock him.

"I believe your date's waiting for you," Chase mentioned.

Thirteen looked up at him then followed his eyes to Cameron who was leaning on the wall on the other side of the hallway. Thirteen nodded and turned back to the little girl. Thirteen reached down and stroked the little girl's curly blonde, "I hope you have a better life."

"You make it really hard to hate you," Chase finally said.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow, "I never meant…"

Chase held up his hand, "I know."

Thirteen took a deep breath then looked at the little girl one last time, "She'll be gone before we get here in the morning?"

"Probably," Chase replied.

"Good luck," Thirteen wished the little girl before looking at Chase, "Goodnight."

He nodded, "Goodnight."

Thirteen walked out into the hallway and walked with Cameron toward the exit with one last glance at Chase and the little girl.

* * *

One of the endings is done. I'm in the middle of the second one and as soon as they're both done, I'll post them.


	24. Malex Ending

Thirteen had a restless night. She tossed and turned, waking Cameron up a few times. Finally at five in the morning she got up and went into the living room.

She'd had nightmares before of course, but this one was different. She had a dream Marissa got in a wreck and as much as she tried, Thirteen couldn't save her. Before she knew it there were tears streaming down her face. She didn't think she'd make it through life if Marissa died, especially if Marissa died without knowing how Thirteen really felt.

The next morning, Cameron woke up alone in bed. She looked around and noticed the bedroom door was open. After stretching Cameron got out of bed and walked to the open door. She saw Thirteen sitting on the couch with her head in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Cameron asked softly as she walked over.

Thirteen looked over at Cameron with a tear streaked face, "I can't do it."

"You can't do what?" Cameron asked, taking a seat next to Thirteen.

"I can't…you and Marissa. It's just…." Thirteen stuttered.

Cameron gulped. She felt she knew what was coming so she just braced herself for it.

"I'm sorry," Thirteen sighed, "You're so sweet to me. I just….I'm so sorry."

Cameron blinked back tears, "It's okay. I understand. I want you to be happy. But we can still be friends right?"

"I hoped so," Thirteen answered, taking long shaky breaths.

Cameron pulled Thirteen in to her arms and held her for a few minutes. When she let go she asked, "What are you going to do now?"

Thirteen shrugged.

The older woman silently stood then added, "I'm going to get dressed and head to work."

"Okay," Thirteen choked out.

After Cameron was gone Thirteen took a picture of Marissa out of the drawer in her end table. Marissa decided that they needed to take a picture together so one day while they were laying in bed, Marissa grabbed the camera on the nightstand and took a few pictures. When she printed them off, she gave one to Thirteen.

Thirteen traced the outline of Marissa's face and softly smiled. Then she grabbed her phone and quickly dialed. She put the phone to her ear and a few rings later a familiar voice answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Summer," Thirteen smiled fully, "I need a favor."

Marissa sat on the beach looking out at the beautiful water before her that reminded her so much of Alex's eyes. She ran her fingers over the buttons on her phone wondering what Alex was doing and debating whether or not to call her.

She let out a long sigh into the warm, sunny day. Luckily her dad got arrested in a country that speaks English and she managed to talk his way out of jail with the stipulation that the government got to keep his yacht. Marissa figured them keeping his yacht was fair and figured that if he was landlocked he might cause less trouble.

"Hey! You want a surf lesson?!" A woman's voice called from behind her.

Marissa shook her head not even moving to look at the person who was soliciting her. She leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes in hopes of soaking up some sun before returning to New York City.

She heard footsteps come near her and then someone blocked the sun. Geez these people at the resorts really try to push things on you.

"Are you sure you don't want a lesson?" the woman asked again, "I've been told I'm really good."

Marissa's eyes shot open. She knew that voice. She sat up and saw Alex standing there in board shorts and a bikini top.

"What are you doing here?" Marissa stood up facing Alex.

Alex smiled, "I came to tell you something very important." She pulled Marissa into a long, passionate kiss. They pulled away after some hooting by some nearby boys.

Marissa finally smiled, "You flew all the way out here just to do that?"

Alex took both of Marissa's hands, "No. I wanted to tell you that…I love you. No one or nothing is going to change that. You know me better than anyone. You have my heart…and you always will."

Marissa saw the necklace of the heart hanging around Alex's neck. She ran in fingers gingerly over the necklace. Tears brimmed Marissa's eyes and she threw her arms around Alex's neck. "I love you too, Alex."

After another kiss, they parted holding hands and swinging them. Alex smirked, "So about that surf lesson…"

"Well," Marissa playfully smiled, "You can see the surf from the bed in my room."

Alex grinned, "Oh I like your idea better."

They walked hand in hand up the beach and into the hotel room to enjoy the rest of their vacation.

The End


	25. Cameron's Ending

When they got back to Thirteen's apartment, they changed and went to bed. Thirteen flipped off the light and curled up under the covers. When Cameron rolled over, trying to get comfortable, she saw Thirteen starting at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked quietly.

Thirteen looked over at Cameron, "I can't stop thinking of that little girl. She got sick and they just abandoned her."

Cameron studied Thirteen's face and saw her eyes shimmer in the soft glow of the street lamp that penetrated the small gap between the closed curtains. Cameron thought there was another reason for the unshed tears in Thirteen's eyes.

"I will never abandon you," Cameron said, trying to leave no room for doubt, "No matter what."

Thirteen's let the words sink in before muttering, "Everyone said that, but ended up abandoning me anyway."

Cameron cupped Thirteen's cheek, "I mean it. I will never, ever abandon you. Even if you choose to be with Marissa, even if you quit working at the hospital, even if you move to the other side of the planet. I will _never_ abandon you. I can't imagine why anyone would want to."

Thirteen tried to blink back the tears, but they started to fall down her cheeks. Cameron wrapped her arms around Thirteen and pull their bodies together.

After a minutes, Thirteen pulled away only enough to see Cameron's face. After pausing to check Cameron's eyes for sincerity, there wasn't a doubt in Thirteen's mind that Cameron was telling the truth. She slowly and tentatively touched her lips to Cameron's.

When the kiss was over, Thirteen laid her head on Cameron's shoulder and whispered, "Thank you."

Cameron smiled and whispered back, "You're welcome." She kissed Thirteen's forehead and closed her eyes.

When they woke up it was pouring rain outside. Thirteen smiled against Cameron's skin and Cameron felt it, sending a shiver across her body.

"Good morning," Thirteen mumbled.

"Good morning," Cameron replied.

After a beat, Thirteen added, "It's raining."

"I do believe it _is_ raining," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen snuggled deeper into Cameron, "Before Med school, when I still lived in LA, when it would rain, I'd take the day off." She sighed, "I guess we can't do that now."

Cameron shook her head, "I already took yesterday off and I'm pretty sure diagnostics would fall apart without you."

Thirteen chuckled, "Yeah right."

Cameron twirled Thirteen's hair around her finger and smirked, "So on these says off…what did you do?"

Thirteen smirked, "Well," she paused, tilted her head up and kissed Cameron, "I usually lay in bed and listen to the rain." She kissed Cameron again, "Then I open the windows and make coffee." She leaned in, but paused just before her lips touched Cameron's, "I really love stay in bed as long as possible." She glanced at the clock, "Which is about another hour."

"Sounds like the best idea I've heard all day," Cameron replied before recapturing Thirteen's lips.

After cuddling and snuggling for an hour, they got dressed and left for work. Cameron whipped out the umbrella she grabbed out of the front closet when they got to the front door of Thirteen's building.

"Aw you're no fun," Thirteen smiled.

Cameron opened it and stepped outside, "I just spent ten minutes doing my hair."

Thirteen laughed, "Actually _I_ spent _five_ minutes on your hair."

Cameron pulled Thirteen under the umbrella with her and the started walking down the sidewalk.

"I guess we're walking to work huh?" Thirteen asked.

Cameron nodded.

When they had to stop at the corner and wait for the crosswalk to be open. Thirteen smiled and knocked the umbrella away for a second, letting the rain hit both of them. Cameron jerked it back up. "What was that?" She ran a hand over her hair.

"C'mon," Thirteen smirked, "It's just a ponytail." She swatted the umbrella again. The rain fell from the top of the umbrella onto Cameron's head.

Cameron laughed and took a step away from Thirteen, leaving her shelter-less in the rain. Thirteen just stood there and smiled.

Thirteen moved some hair out of her eyes and took a few purposeful steps toward Cameron and swept her up in the sweet kiss. The water ran down Thirteen's face and around their interlocked lips.

Across the street, Marissa was in her car waiting at the stop light. She was on her way to see Thirteen. Her heart shattered when she saw Thirteen kissing Cameron on the opposite street corner. That was it. She'd lost. After a few deep breaths and some blinked away tears she sent a quick text message before the light turned green.

Thirteen jumped out of the kiss at the vibrating in her pocket. She smiled apologetically to Cameron and took it out. It was a text message from Marissa. She opened it and read. _My dad's okay now and I'm back, but I don't think it would be a good thing for us to see each other now. I don't think I can be who you need me to be right now. I'm sorry - Marissa_.

Thirteen took a long breath. She didn't know how to reply or even if she should.

"What's wrong?" Cameron asked.

Thirteen just handed Cameron her phone and let her read for herself. After she finished, Cameron put her hand on Thirteen's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Thirteen nodded, letting Cameron pull her into her arms.

"So do you still want to be with me?" Thirteen asked quietly.

Cameron nodded, "Of course." She paused, "But I don't want you to be with me just because Marissa…."

Thirteen pulled away slightly, "No. I want to be with you. I've had so much fun with you and you make me feel…I love spending time with you."

Cameron beamed and kissed Thirteen. They both pulled away smiling.

Thirteen chuckled, "You know I think we've missed the light a few times."

Cameron smirked, "I think so too."

Just then the crosswalk light came on. Cameron took Thirteen's hand and they walked across the street in the rain. When they got to the parking lot, Cameron stopped and pulled Thirteen's body to hers, pressing her lips to the younger doctors.

"What was that for?" Thirteen asked with a blissful smile.

"I'm really happy to be with you," Cameron smiled.

Thirteen blushed and kissed Cameron again. "I'm happy to be with you too."

The End

* * *

I've decided that I'm going to continue the Thirteen/Cameron storyline in a new fic called _Hands on Me_. I just started the new fic so it'll be up within the next few days. I'm going to catagorize it as House M.D. because I might mention the OC cast every once and a while, but none of them will take center stage. Thanks for reading.


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